News Article

Talking Point: A History of the Sexualisation of Samus

Exploring the long, complicated history of the bounty hunter's public image

Zero Suit Samus' alternate costumes in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Just this week, Super Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai revealed the new alternate costumes for Zero Suit Samus in the upcoming Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U: “From the ending of Metroid: Zero Mission, here's Samus in shorts!” Her skimpy two-piece outfit has rubbed some fans the wrong way, as Nintendo seems to be content to take perhaps its most iconic female character and continually present her in a sexualised fashion. Defendants of the designs argue that disrobed Samus has been part of Metroid since the beginning, but this aspect of the series that had usually been reserved for the very end of each game has now become an integral part of Samus’ public image.

To be clear: there's nothing inherently wrong with the Zero Suit. Samus has to wear something under her heavy armour, and showing her out of the power suit can humanise her... yet when she's portrayed with the ridiculous proportions we see here, it's likely her humanity isn't the only reason Nintendo has decided to play up the Zero Suit aspect of Samus. When thinking of how to do this respectably, look at Alfonso Cuarón's film Gravity from last year: Sandra Bullock's character removes her space suit part of the way through the film, and even though she's still presented in an attractive manner, it's arguably respectful and realistic enough that it doesn't come off as sexualisation. With that in mind, let’s take a look at Nintendo’s long, complicated history of depicting Samus Aran.

Most already know the story of the original Metroid: Samus was initially presented as a man, the instruction booklet even referring to her as a "he" to maintain the illusion; when players reached the end of the game, however, she removed her armour to reveal her true identity. If you finish the game in under five hours, she takes off her helmet to reveal she’s a woman; if you finish in under three, she removes her power armour completely to reveal a form-fitting purple leotard. If you finish in under an hour, Samus undresses all the way down to a bikini. If you input the famous “JUSTIN BAILEY” password, you can play the entire game with a scantily-clad Samus.

From left to right: Samus at the end of Metroid, Metroid II, and Super Metroid.
Image credit: Wikitroid

When Metroid was first released in 1986, the standard for female video game characters was mostly restricted to damsels in distress. Metroid provided hardly any exposition or storytelling, but Samus was a breath of fresh air – a strong, solitary female hero who single-handedly defeats an entire army of space pirates. Not only did Metroid have a female lead, but it had a female villain as well: Mother Brain. To this day, games with both a female protagonist and antagonist are exceedingly rare, with Valve’s Portal being one of the most memorable modern examples.

Removing Samus’ armour to reveal her gender at the end of Metroid was a statement of female empowerment that surprised many players who assumed they had been playing as a man the whole time… however, it also sets up the strip poker-style challenge of “the better you perform, the more clothes she removes as a reward” that would become a staple of the Metroid series. Is it a feminist statement, or is it clear objectification of women pandering to the hetero male-dominated gaming culture? In the original Metroid, it’s a bit of both – many other strong female video game protagonists struggle with this dichotomy as well, most notably Lara Croft of Tomb Raider.

Metroid II: Return of Samus, released in 1991, introduced more complex themes of motherhood to Samus’ background while still retaining the minimalist approach to storytelling that the first Metroid game pioneered. Like its predecessor, Metroid II features a female antagonist: the Queen Metroid. Samus is tasked with slaughtering all the Metroids on their home planet SR388; after Samus kills what she thinks is the last one, she finds a Metroid egg that hatches in front of her. The newborn Metroid imprints onto her and believes Samus is its mother – she spares the infant and takes it with her at the end of the game.

Samus' death animation in Super Metroid

Perhaps the most revered Metroid game of all, 1994’s Super Metroid, would show Samus outside her power suit mid-game for the first time in the series. Whenever the player dies, Samus’ armour falls off so she can die in a skimpy outfit; this strange death-undressing would reappear in all future 2D sidescrolling Metroid games, and can be interpreted to bring up all sorts of ethical questions about the fetishisation of violence against women.

The series would go on an eight-year hiatus, but in 2002 we finally got two new Metroid games. Metroid Fusion is a classical Super Metroid-style platformer developed internally by Nintendo, most notable for the “Fusion Suit” Samus wears for the entire game. Her standard power suit becomes infected by parasites, and it’s so bio-mechanically integrated with Samus’ body that it can’t be fully removed (a precedent that would largely be ignored, as later games would let her remove the suit at will). Doctors create a partially-armoured version of the suit called the Fusion Suit — it's form-fitting without sexualising Samus.

The other Metroid published in 2002 was Metroid Prime, created by Texas developer Retro Studios. It was the first 3D Metroid title, and a high-profile moment of Nintendo outsourcing one of its major franchises to a Western studio. What we got is perhaps the most realistic depiction of Samus Aran – we never see Samus’ face aside from the occasional reflection in her helmet’s visor, and even at the end of the game, we never see Samus without her armour. In the best possible ending, Samus simply removes her helmet; she’s still beautiful, but she looks like a realistically-proportioned human being.

Samus' form-fitting Fusion Suit in Metroid Fusion

Two years later, 2004 would also get two Metroid releases. First was the internally-developed Metroid: Zero Mission, a remake of the original Metroid in an artistic style closer to Fusion – this is the first time we would see the divisive Zero Suit Samus. The original Metroid ends after Samus defeats Mother Brain and escapes planet Zebes, but in Zero Mission, space pirates attack her gunship as she’s leaving and force her to crash-land back on Zebes without her power armour. We get an entire final segment of the game where we play as Samus in her Zero Suit.

Retro Studios released Metroid Prime 2: Echoes later in 2004. The majority of the game uses the same approach to Samus as in the first Metroid Prime, but at the end we see Zero Suit Samus. It’s a jarringly cartoonish version of Samus in stark contrast to the realistic art style of the rest of the game, much different than the first Prime’s Samus. This iteration of her was the first hint that Nintendo wanted to create a cohesive new image of what Samus should look like. This version would also be used in 2006’s Metroid Prime: Hunters.

Retro’s latest entry in the series, 2007’s Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, would remain faithful to the Prime formula while integrating Zero Suit Samus much more thoroughly into the story; the first time we see Samus in the opening cutscene of Corruption, she’s in her Zero Suit. Somehow she’s now able to make her power armour materialise out of thin air, so we see glimpses of the Zero Suit throughout the adventure.

Perhaps the most realistic depiction of Samus, at the end of Metroid Prime – the last game of the pre-Zero Suit era

Alas, we come to the infamous Metroid: Other M from 2010, which is widely accepted as another major turning point in the sexualisation of Samus. Developed by Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball veterans Team Ninja, Zero Suit Samus is featured prominently throughout the story. Other M attempts to humanise Samus with internal struggle, and creates a father figure through Commander Adam Malkovich (who was introduced in Fusion but fleshed out as a character for the first time here); he would be the first prominent human male character in the Metroid series. Other M has already been debated ad nauseum, so if you want to learn more, Jeremy Parish’s “Dial Other M for Murder” postmortem is recommended reading.

We can’t talk about Samus without discussing Super Smash Bros. Of Nintendo’s Big Three franchises, Metroid is the most niche – far more people have experienced Samus through the Smash Bros. series than will perhaps play any of the Metroid games. The first two Smash games, 1999’s Super Smash Bros. and 2001’s Super Smash Bros. Melee, used the Super Metroid interpretation of Samus as their version of the character, since Super Metroid was still the most recent Metroid title at the time of both games’ development.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl, released in 2008, is the most interesting to look at when it comes to Metroid; the highly-acclaimed Prime trilogy had all been released by the time of its completion, including Prime 3: Corruption the previous year. Yet Brawl still used a decidedly stylised pre-Prime design for Samus, as if they were acknowledging only the Japanese-developed entries in the series. Samus’ Final Smash in Brawl turns her into Zero Suit Samus, giving Zero Suit nearly as much screen time as Regular Samus. This was perhaps foreshadowing for Other M, which would arrive two years later.

Zero Suit Samus with her "jet boots" in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Nintendo believes in Zero Suit Samus enough that it introduced her for the new Super Smash Bros. not as part of Samus, but as her own independent character with a full move set. Not only that, but she’s arguably more sexualised than she’s ever been before, with stiletto heels, heavy makeup, and a notably enlarged bosom; Masahiro Sakurai has indicated Samus' new Smash Bros. design is based on Team Ninja's portrayal of her in Other M. The high heels are of particular note because the original Metroid: Zero Mission concept art for Zero Suit Samus shows the artist specifically writing “This is too high. Heel should be no higher than this” (translation here, courtesy of the Metroid Database). To add to this, now we have two different bikini-style alternate costumes to choose from as well.

Many of Nintendo's questionable design choices for Samus perhaps reflect strong cultural differences between Japan and the West. Highly unrealistic, sexualised depictions of women are much more commonplace in Japanese game design – the debate surrounding Vanillaware's Dragon's Crown last year springs to mind. As a family-friendly company, Nintendo has avoided dealing with this issue for the most part, but as Samus outside her suit has become a more prominent part of the character's image, Nintendo is for the first time dealing with a major first-party character with sex appeal. The company recently showed a misunderstanding of Western views on sexuality when it struggled with the issue of same-sex marriage in Tomodachi Life this past May, and this Zero Suit Samus issue shows there's still a substantial disconnect.

Nintendo is taking for granted the fact that it's got one of the oldest, strongest female protagonists in videogame history on its hands, but the company doesn't seem to be interested in Metroid without the sexualised Zero Suit Samus. She still represents female empowerment in the male-dominated gaming landscape, but this often goes hand-in-hand with sexualised designs that still pander predominantly to the male gaze. Zero Suit Samus has the potential to be a compelling character, a humanised counterpart juxtaposing her nearly robotic persona in the Varia Suit; it's a shame she's depicted with a Barbie-like figure in eye shadow and bikinis instead. There is some hope, though – Retro Studios looks to be preparing for a big new project. The team that made its name by reinventing Samus may have to do it once again, and Retro certainly seems to have a better handle on the character than its parent company does.

Let us know what you think of the sexualisation of Samus throughout the character's history in the poll and comments below.

Do you feel that Samus has been sexualised excessively by Nintendo, culminating in these Super Smash Bros. outfits? (794 votes)

Yes, Samus' image has been damaged by some design choices

19%

She has been sexualised, but I don't think it's a significant issue

32%

I'm unsure

3%

No, I don't think she has been overly sexualised by Nintendo

26%

Definitely not, these are normal designs and appropriate for the character

Oh my God, I seriously can't believe people are actually offended by that. People really need to get out of their computers and have a breath of fresh air in their faces in order to see that there's nothing wrong with a different clothing for her. It's not like people will lose the respect for the image of Samus and the Metroid saga just because she is wearing shorts and a tank top.

"OH-ÊM-GÊE THEY SEXUALISED HER!" - Come on guys, this is just a video game. Stop overreacting, for love's sake!

Meh i don't even care and i don't even use samus or zero suit in smash. But is she sexualised? Hmm maybe but she was especially in brawl,but who cares? Almost every women in games get sexualised somehow.

Why is this a "Talking Point" for? I don't see anything wrong with it. All it shows is her in shorts at least she not showing any breast. It looks fine too me. I think Nintendo did good on this one....

I'm sorry, but, firstly she's supposed to be well toned and athletic in build. She's a bounty hunter. She's constantly running, jumping and shooting the poopoodoodoocacapoopledoople out of bad guys and yet, there are women who expect her to be out of shape and dumpy? Please....
Has anyone taken a look at how men are portrayed in film and games? It's rare that you get "average-Joe-with-a-beer-belly" as an action hero. That's a screwed perception of the ideal male. Do men complain? No.

Metroid is my favorite series ever, but the sexual element has always bothered me. I know it's been there since the beginning, but I wish it would decrease rather than increase. I like Samus as a kick-butt action hero, not as a bikini pin-up.

@ToniK What? how is this skimpy?? Explain...All she is wearing is half a shirt & some shorts. How is this skimpy? Do you see any butt or breast showing. Cause if you do then I understand. On why you're mad. But its not skimpy.

If girls get to see main male protagonists be strong yet have their muscles practically being squeezed by their clothes, I think this is just as acceptable. It goes both ways, remember that. Males are also sexualized in media and no one has a problem with that, so I find this rather fair. It's not like it hinders her strong personality anyway.

The problem isnt that she is over sexualized but that she is sexualized at all. She appears to be a powerful and independent woman not one to care about what anyone else thinks. Therefore, logically should should be wearing her strongest and most protective outfit when fighting. Samus' little personality in the first games actually say a lot about her character and i just think this sexualization is just bothersome

I've never bought a game because the characters were "hot". Nor do I care what a character looks like or is dressed up in. To me it's all stupid nonsense that causes people to talk about the game and gets someone to buy it just for the sake of seeing digitized female parts.

Sexualized......of course she is, because it is what we do to everything.

i really don't understand the problem with a tank top and shorts. it's actually far less revealing than the average summer outfit sported by 20 to 30 year olds. it's funny how keyboard warriors always attack the easy targets.
when are you going to do an article on atlus's conception? that game pretty much supports rape culture but i suppose you wont.

These clothes are fine. They work for the character. She is supposed to be athletic and these clothes just go along with that. The idea that she would wear anything else when inside the Varia suit is absurd. What would else she wear, a turtle neck?A character is judged to be a strong characters by their actions and the characterizations that are developed by their actions and thought. Clothes don't ( and shouldn't) affect that nor change it. The fact that Samus is in heels or a form fitting costume doesn't change those.

First off,What heavy makeup?I don't see any in the screen shots.No noticeable eyeshadow,and a simple nude looking lip,the dark lashes could be mascara but could just be naturally thick.It does look a bit like there could be some eyeliner but that could also just be the light.
Also so what if she wears a little makeup?A girl can't like to feel pretty just because she seems all tough? That kind of "feminist" crap of telling woman they should feel bad about themselves for doing things they like is just as damaging as anything actively anti-female.

Second, The two piece outfit is far less sexual to me.It's just sportswear.You can walk in any gym and see woman in the same outfit. I've never seen someone jogging down the street in a skin tight catsuit.

@Falchion The thing is, a strong independent woman could be sexualized, in fact, that could pretty much just show how confident she is in all she does, not to mention any guys that try to get with her are going to be turned down and kicked in the face.

Not to mention, a big and bulky suit of armor could perhaps be less protective than a fabric that absorbs blows but doesn't get torn up by them. Metal getting bent inward from a bullet or puncture of some kind can't be all that good.

@antonvaltaz Precisely. People abound in these sorts of threads, loudly asserting that they are right and throwing around terms like "politically correct", "white knights", " what's the big deal" and so on. It's depressing.

I don't want more sexualisation in video games. I want more inclusiveness and less sexism and hostility to women in gaming, from the players to the journalists to the developers. It saddens me Nintendo are going down this path with one of their most beloved characters, the fan service endings of many past Metroid games notwithstanding. This sort of thing doesn't help anyone.

I've read around the internet that women around the world are trying to un-sexualise the image of the naked female body. They are trying to make men understand that the female breast is not just a sex toy, it's part of their own body and that men should respect that. They are even trying to push laws ahead in order to be able to show their boobies (sorry, but it's the best word for them) whenever they want. And now this, complaining about a damned tank top and shorts, symply known as "gym outfit"? Oh, come on. Damn these double standars, PLEASE.

I'm no where near a Social Justice Warrior, especially with the latest in the string of "sexism in video games" articles going around the internet (http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/quinnspiracy). But in this one case with Nintendo I do feel Samus has been slutted out with that costume.

Zero suit was silly but I get it... this 90s work out uniform she has in Smash Brothers is silly.

This topic is ridiculous. EVERY character in EVERY game is sexualized. Whether we admit it or not, its part of what makes games attractive and appealing. America is too sensitive as it is. All this kind of talk just makes some people uncomfortable with the human body, thus conditioning society to be too conservative. What do you tell your kids at the beach when they see a woman or man wearing almost nothing? NOTHING, because its accepted because you're at the beach, but your kid still saw it. If you teach your kids to respect the human body, male or female, then we shouldn't worry about something as trivial as Samus in a sports bra.

I think people are overreacting a bit. I agree that this outfit is too sexualized for a Nintendo game, but it could have been worse and it's not something to freak out over when there's games like Dead or Alive and Mortal Kombat.

Outside the first game, I don't really see how she's sexualized, its hardly signifigant.I mean a lady can wear whatever she wants to right?(Although naturally different people would have a different visions for the character and how they would want to portray her)

"The company recently showed a misunderstanding of Western views on sexuality"

No, no they didn't. There was a glitch that allowed same sex. They put in the work and effort to patch it out. And I'm a proud American and Nintendo supporter because of that. Don't pretend the entire west shares your view. And pretending that this is a similar "disconnect" just shows how out of touch politically correct people really are.

You forgot originally Super Metroid Samus was nude in the game over screen before changed in the final release, which is actually kept in a fan made game i believe was called Metroid Evolution. And in Smash 64 reveals a suitless outline of her (no clothing) . I would never be fine with Samus' Other M design i much prefer Prime and Brawl. I'm glad you put this up but feminism is gaming is a topic gamers laugh at rather than taken seriously. Because we see females like that in real life that's just fine. So characters like Zelda and Peach are fine with people to change

Well the human body is a beautiful thing. Maybe the people who complain about videogames being sexualized have no sex in their lives. Usually these people are insecure themselves. I have a problem with the damsel in distress stereotype, but not butt kicking Sammus.

What are the "Big Three" Nintendo franchises and how is Metroid one of them? Myself, I can think of several more popular IPs to be regarded as the "Big Three", including Mario, Zelda, Pokémon, Donkey Kong, and Kirby. If you want to talk about a "Big Six", however, I'm fine with Metroid being included.

Either way: yes, Zero Suit Samus in Smash is blatant "fan service", for lack of a better expression. It definitely sexualizes her, and people might get offended. I'm not one of them, though, especially because she's still presented as a powerful character rather than a damsel in distress.

I personally feel that if you want YOUR character to be sexualized, sexualize them. If YOU don't, then don't. You want a game with strong female protagonists, then go ahead and make one! It's not like anyone's stopping you intentionally. It's just a choice. It's just like in real life, some males and females prefer to be sexualized, some prefer to be modest. The problem here is that both groups push their views on other people who disagree. Just let people be who they want to be.

@Falchion I'll agree with you there. I think a girl designed the work-out suit she's wearing. Maybe I read the Facebook post wrong. Either way, this isn't limited to guys, it's pretty much both genders on both sides of this argument.

Lost in all of this discussion is the fact that the character skin causing the ruckus was created because of the determination of a female developer. That's correct, female and not male. There is fan service there, but no more than most armor suits for female characters in any RPG ever made.

It is also a throwback to the original game and is little more than a sports bra and short shorts. I see this all summer long as women go running around town and no one complains about them being oversexualized by Nike.

No, Samus is actually one of the strongest examples of how to do fanservice right!

Let me elaborate: from the very beginning, Samus was depicted as incredibly strong, intelligent, and determined. Her design in the NES game was a result of its limited graphical power - there wasn't much of a different way to truly show she's a woman. The GB game followed that design choice, but made Samus look more civil by giving her common sleep underwear.With Super Metroid, her muscular body was outlined at the end to show that she isn't some kind of lucky heroine which somehow managed to survive: she trained hard to become this powerful,the suit essentially "just" increases her firepower, but the reflexes, determination, and the strength to survive everything thrown at her are the result of her dedication to the task at hand, and the strength she acquired during her training.But the problem was that a strong and muscular woman wasn't taken seriously as a woman. Cue Metroid Fusion, which not only gave Samus a new suit that looked much less bulky, but also showed off a more athletic Zero Suit, which combined feminne build with strength by design. Additionally, Samus got a much nicer facial design to make her look less aggressive, but also not any less determined. Metroid Prime, on the other hand, underlined Samus sheer genius in terms of biology and evolution, which are fields she studied for some time. All data you read when scanning creatures is what Samus writes about them by analyzing the body, skeletal build, and behaviour (technically, you're supposed to scan them after learning the patterns).With Zero Mission, we got the final general design for the Zero Suit, which was also integrated into Metroid Prime: Corruption. This Zero Suit is largely designed around Samus' attractiveness to make her more appealing to the audience, which is pretty much the description of fanservice as well. But Nintendo didn't throw out her strength for that (though Other M really tarnished the picture, no discussion). - they decided to change the focus from strength to athleticism, while having the action she gets caught up in show the true extend of her willpower (keep in mind that this is technically Samus' first fight against the space pirates).

That's something very unique among heroines. Most other female characters simply get saved at some point, and more often than not by men. But Samus makes it through her ordeals all by herself, simply because nobody is strong enough to truly save her. Yet she always fights alone.

No matter how hot she looks, Samus will always be one of the universally strongest characters Nintendo ever created - no other character had to go through hell so many times just to do it again.

Honestly, what is the big deal? Samus is from a series that is aimed at older audiences, she's clearly a young athletic woman, and her appearance is likely in line with not only other female video game characters, but other women her own age.

What do people want? Samus to wear a long dress when she's not in the Power Suit? Look at Fire Emblem, some of the female characters are dressed in short skirts and armor.

It's not like Nintendo is sitting there with alt Samus Costumes where she's wearing maid outfits or a bunny suit. This is not Dead or Alive, but hell, even Dead or Alive 5 kinda tones down the focus on female sexuality. Mila's costumes are what you would expect a female MMA fighter to wear.

And what Samus wears is what you would expect a young woman who is a bounty hunter to wear. Power Armor for her missions, a Zero Suit that she wears under the power armor that serves as a backup, and casual clothes when she's not on a mission.

One other thing to point out for the Zero Suit is that its not uncommon for characters to wear a body suit under power armor. In the Iron Man movies, Tony Stark wore a suit under the Iron Man armor.

So, why is the Zero Suit a problem? Why is any of this an issue? Because Samus is a Nintendo character? It's not like Nintendo is playing up the fan service.

Honestly, this is getting pathetic. What's next? We target Chun-li because she shows some legs? Lyn also shows some legs, so Nintendo's sexualing her?

I feel like every Metroid fan knows well about that story. I talk about sexualization a lot with friends - feminists or not -, but, nowadays, discussions like that need to take into account the culture differences.

What is sexualization? If using make up is considered that, then a man having a great beard is as well? I mean, they're just characteristics that emphasize one's gender, the cartoon and game's design needs it here and there. We all know that the past was fully of social patterns and stuff, but today the world is not a grim place on that regard, we don't need to treat it this way. Women, men and genderless people like to sexualize and, more importantly, to be sexualised. Is not a problem, at all. It's natural.

Samus' history of "sexualization" is interesting to debate, yeah, but that costume's inclusion on Smash4 was something just awesome (and I kinda agree with @Kaze_Memaryu). Even her heels is something that certainly was praised by almost everyone in Japan, and I don't think that this make Nippon a bad place. Just different points of view. Or do you guys think that Sakurai and his staff wanted to make people mad?

Sexualization as a bad thing exists, especially in games, but not with Samus.

So which one sells better? Is this change in appearance an ethical decision, or a business one?

My take is that the changes made exist to increase appeal with a specific target demographic. That doesn't mean they are deeply considered, moral choices - they almost certainly aren't - but it's very hard for me to argue that Nintendo has done anything to damage the image of the character.

I would call it "realistic" or "adaptive" rather than sexualized. If other games from other companies present girl characters this way, then there is no problem. Simple as that. The game will probably be rated T anyway, and that's the age where this becomes normal. Also, it's normal for girls to do athletic activity wearing a sports bra and short shorts. Nothing sexual intended, from my point of view.

This is what actually annoys me about this issue: "Not only that, but she’s arguably more sexualised than she’s ever been before, with stiletto heels, heavy makeup, and a notably enlarged bosom"

To me it shows a shift where Samus isn't just a physically fit woman wearing a skin tight suit to focusing specifically on the sexualized nature of her. Ask the various super female cosplayers how impractical high heels are for practically anything. Sure this is a highly unrealistic game but Samus comes from a more realistic series and would never go into combat in heels.

It not something i'm going to lose sleep over but it would be nice to see characters treated with more respect instead of "boobs and heels sell and everyone else is doing it so we'll just do it too."

@Mega719 That's goods actually, more potential sales as careful parents inspect it. But my point still stands, there is no cleavage, no "Bayonetta" removal of clothing or anything. It's just a woman exercising. Okay, I'm done now.

I don't think it's in any way offensive, but I do think it has compromised the mystique of the character.

From seeing a glimpse of the real woman at the end of a game, to being a costume choice, Samus has lost some reserve, which makes a protagonist more interesting, and regarding real life, a person more enticing.

"The company recently showed a misunderstanding of Western views on sexuality when it struggled with the issue of same-sex marriage in Tomodachi Life this past May"
Yes, because all westerners have identical views on sexuality and same-sex marriage! Disappointing (to say the least) to see this statement get past the editor.
"Nintendo is taking for granted the fact that it's got one of the oldest, strongest female protagonists in videogame history on its hands,"
Taking for granted? That's quite a claim.
"the company doesn't seem to be interested in Metroid without the sexualised Zero Suit Samus."
Yeah, could not believe the boobs on the zero suits in the Metroid Blast game in Nintendo Land! How did they get away with it?
Not one of NL's better editorials.

All the male gamers have bravely come forward to announce they have no problem with Samus being reduced to a sex object. Of course, it's no different than the Mario, Luigi, Marth, Captain Falcon, Link, and Pit alternate speedo costumes. Wait, what is it you say? Samus is the only character walking around in her underwear? Nope, no sexism here at all, and I would know because I am a man.

I will say this just because I'm bored. Sexism in gaming does exist. Is Samus being sexualized no. Are their games that depicted the over sexualization of women yes. Let's look at the demographics of video games in general and who they represent. The majority are Male and companies do placate to their fanbase. That being said, Nintendo is not really guilty of this. There is a rating system, and anyone who doesn't know what videogames their children are playing or does not control this are misguided and do not talk to their children like they should or for that matter invest more time in them. Nintendo is a very family oriented company. ( geez I sound like a spokesperson) almost to their detriment hence the third-party Or lack there of.

@BlatantlyHeroic I guess my biggest problem with it is that Samus is being sexualized just because, they are not trying to build her character. Its the intent more than the actual material that bothers me.

People this is legitimate source material that Sakurai is using in Smash. Zero Suit samus designs are from Metroid Prime 1,2,3 and from Zero Mission. Until the next Metroid game, we will probably br5e seeing Zero Suit Samus in a new look.

I feel like this is an unwise time to post this article after the Zoe Quinn incident and as a result when gaming journalism is being accused of promoting SJW topics, sexism topics, and generally or practically telling gamers how they should feel about certain topics, often as click bait, rather than just reporting about games.

Even if you really do believe in this issue, which many gaming media outlets like Kotaku, who is a front runner in these kinds of articles, clearly do not.

@Falchion It's pretty bothersome to me too. They really should base the character around the established personality. She's pretty much spent as much time training as Batman and this is what her build is? I don't buy it.

When she wasn't portrayed as a stoic neo feminist amazon that "don't need no man" people got upset. (Exaggeration of course but you get the idea.)

Whether you agree with her Other M representation or not, I'm saddened that the backlash received for it likely means Nintendo will be afraid to step away from the silent emotionless character formula they've embraced for so long.

Damn Nintendo! How many over sexualisation examples in characters are in this fighting game?
Samus!
Captain Falcon!
Snake! Oh wait he won't be back.

Oh yeah as I have heard before from some lovely people before posting here making a male character out of solid muscle or in general hot is not the same thing because they take three paragraphs to say "CAUSE it different that why1". It's even more sad that I knew this was coming when I saw the article about the new Samus outfit. You know the one that covers more skin than 90% of two piece swimsuits. Christ.

Strange thing, even without breast jobs some women naturally have much larger breasts than that. Crazy!

I know you like to have talking points about serious gaming issues but if this is a serious gaming issue in 2014 for Nintendo no wonder some people can look at Nintendo and say it's "kiddy'. It's not but then again Samus isn't overbearing with sex here either.

That's really a terrible line of reasoning to use. It really isn't all that wise to care enough to post that people shouldn't care. Why even bother posting comments if that's the way you feel? Really unless you're out there making the world a better place every waking hour of the day, in which case you wouldn't have time to post, it just ends up being entirely hypocritical.

@DarkKirby that's not really exaggerated as just flat out wrong, a straw man at best, and equivocation as well. Saying people didn't like a totally unrealistic, unbelievable, and terrible portrayal equals they only want a stoic neo feminist amazon is not supported in any way but any fact or statement made about other M.

EDIT: I got to admit I haven't read the article, but my point basically is that when it comes to over sexualazing woman characters it is a talking point, but with man characters I don't think we are going to see that day. I may be missing something vital because I don't know what is written in the article though

This was a terrible article. I've never thought of Samus half naked, because I'm always focused on the actual game. And she is not over sexualized. But I could see that being the case if you've never seen a woman before.

Something that needs to stop in these articles' comment sections is the ad hominem attacks. You don't need to call people names or imply things about people just because you don't agree with their opinions. Attack the argument not the person. Name calling is what people resort to when they can't defend their position.

Hello this is my first post ever on Nintendolife and i hope it wont be my last.I would like to make a correction on the statement on Metroid Prime 1, i remember playing like crazy that game and if you get all 100% items and also finish the game on less than 3 hours (or 2 i really dont remember), you get 2 pics after the credits, normally is just one but if you get to the point you master the game that much you´ll get a nice pic of samus without his suit, i remember it was a big surprise and she was really beautiful. I think she was wearing her zero suit but a black one i really don´t remember that much. You should check on that becouse that was the first samus pic i saw and on gamecube it was really a great pic.

About the topic im on the opinion that its like 50% 50% at foult, 50% from nintendo for not knowing (or knowing) wath are they doing, and 50% of the peoples mind. It's sexualized if you think it is so if you are in the media of curse you are going to bash at it.

The argument that it's okay to sexualize men but not women because all men want to be be handsome musclemen but not all women want to be beautiful and fit has been done to death, and is ridiculous.

No person in their right mind, regardless of sex, would choose to be be ugly, fat, and stupid, but be accepted for it, rather than just be born with fantastic genes that made you good looking, fit, and smart. Reality, MOST people are not good looking, fit, and smart, you're rather lucky if you excel in just one of these categories, and many excel in none. That's life. Men are not okay with men being sexualized because they "want to be that way", they are just indifferent about it. I'd rather any character be aesthetically pleasing than be accurate to most of the real human population.

Equality is a two way street. If what you're asking for is the sexes to be treated differently, to reach what you personally consider an ideal society, that's not equality.

I see no 'skimpy' outfit here, that's a sports bra + shorts combo that any woman would tell you is far more comfortable to do physical activity in than a bulky space suit or tight catsuit. I don't see any 'heavy' makeup either. I see light, everyday makeup that many women wear to work, school, professional settings, etc.

The most problematic thing I see here are the heels but hey, they look cool and fashionable and many performers/dancers can do a lot of moving in them.

But I have a neat idea: how about instead of treating anything showing off the female form as something meant to be seen as sexual for men, making girls feel like they should be ashamed of their beauty and inadvertently supporting rape culture, we focus more on teaching our children that showing off skin and/or being attractive is not an open invitation and neither does it make you a slut. Samus is a beast. Space heels, make up, and boobies shouldn't take away from that.

@antonvaltaz OR MAYBE it`s because this is actually a in canon outfit. But you wouldn't know that since you probably haven't played all the Metroid games and you`re here to complain for no reason at all.

Let me ask you a question. Why does Mario have an American outfit as alternative costume? Picture:http://www.technobuffalo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Super-Smash-Bros.jpg

Your response would probably sound like something like this: Look. There is NO reason for Mario to be dressed in that outfit other than to titillate Americans. None.

See how idiotic that sounds. And since you probably won't understand that it isn't to titillate Americans I am here to tell you that this oufit was a NES golf game. Just like Samus' outfit was a in game outfit.

@Bishasaurus@khululy I wonder what would happen if they announced "Zero suit Falcon", " Little clothes Mac" or "Underwear Marth".

From what I understand some people are getting upset because the lack of clothes... did they even look at Bowser. He's wearing nothing but a shell. Now that's upsetting! He could at least have the decency to bring some underwear to the battlefield. But he is the king of Koopas. He can do whatever he want.

There is nothing wrong with her designs at all. When she is wearing the Varia Suit I'm sure it gets warm inside so having her wear shorts and a sports bra makes sense. The Zero Suit I do believe is a little over done not only does it look uncomfortable its really a pointless costume. Also most when in the gym wear this attire since its easy to move around and be able to do cardio workouts. I'm sure if this was a man in the suit he would wear nothing but spandex shorts.

People don't seem to be getting the point. The article wasn't going 'oh no, this is to sexy for children to see!'. The article is asking, have they gone so far down the road of turning Samus into eye candy, that's it's damaged her reputation as some sort of strong female character. I'd say yes, but it's been there right from the very beginning.

@TheClockworkB Ad hominem attacks rather than addressing the issue at hand? FWIW I have been gaming since the mid-1980s, am very familiar with the Metroid series and own Super Metroid, Prime 3 and Other M, as well as SSB Brawl. Am I allowed to have an opinion now?

Whether something is "canon" or not (and for goodness sake, this is just a computer game series, not some piece of great literature) is completely irrelevant. What IS relevant is whether this is objectifying women in order to help sell videogames to men - and it clearly is, and as a Nintendo fan I am allowed to be disappointed with that.

@DarkKirby I suggest you read up on your history. Centuries of women being kept-in-their-place through all sorts of direct and indirect social and political means, does actually require some more proactivity. There is a huge weight of history that is being struggled against.

@Rin-go you'd actually be amazed. Marketing teams analyze this stuff all over. Many things in media arn't accidental, they actually focus test a lot of these things for data. I don't know if they specifically focus tested this decision but there actually is data to back up the claim that treating women as sex objects increases sales.

If you want to look at sexualization of female characters, you need to look at games like DreamClub, Onechanbara, Akiba's Trip and Dead or Alive. Samus' "sexualization" and "degradation" is trivial in comparison.

@antonvaltaz Absolutely. I really have to commend the author of this article. It's a great topic to write about, but unfortunately the majority of the comments here seem to be from people who have no clue at all about the issue.

If Nintendo is going to go ahead and do this then they should give Captain Falcon a speedo alternate. If you're going to appeal to male gaze and sexualize a female character why not appeal to female gaze and sexualize a stud like the Cap'n. Of course, Captain Falcon doesn't have a historically well developed character to be ruined by it either.

And actually, for an example of a company that does this quite well, look at Marvel. They've been very careful about not sexualizing their female characters in their movies. Or hell, look at the newest Tomb Raider game. Not once do you see her midriff.

I think the bigger issue (or at least the one I'm more concerned about), is that the sexualisation of this particular character, by this "family friendly" company, may be a bit harmful to some young male gamers.

I don't believe young boys should be exposed to that personally, as it's a easy transition into pornography in later years.

I have younger brothers who adore Nintendo and love Metroid games, and I personally don't want to see them get hurt or see their morals waver because of over sexualized video game characters.

But whatever. Samus is an awesome character, and just because her design may be a bit on the skimpy side in some games doesn't change that fact. Nintendo can design their characters however they want to, I'll still play their games and enjoy them!

(I wish team ninja would tone it down just a tad though, have you SEEN the great fairy in Hyrule Warriors!?)

@kensredemption pointing to bad behavior doesn't justify bad behavior, and people should remove the plank from their own eye before removing the sliver from their neighbors. None of those concerned about samus are ignoring other worse examples, they're just discussing the current topic at hand.

@Subie98 "I'm going to not play Super Metroid anymore because Samus is too skimpy at the end." Do you know exactly how stupid that sounds?
If I have a problem with a game, I'll complain about it. Not miss out on the game. Because no game is perfect.

I think more 'sexualised' in a bland comic book way. The design makes an iconic character very generic, and in way I think they could do much more visually with her character minus the suit, to create a more distinct identity.
Having said that, Smash Bros isnt really a game about deep themes, or exploring characters...

Honestly everyone needs to remember that this is about A VIDEO GAME first off. How I feel about Samus is that she's always been a hero. She's a fantastic warrior AND she happens to be attractive however Im not playing her for her looks. Sex is a powerful weapon, just look at Bayonette, she uses her sexy body, literally, to destroy enemies yet she keeps it classy and has respect for herself. For me I've always though of the reason for her clothes before the Zero Suit was because she's a bounty hunter..I highly doubt a woman like Samus Aran thinks twice about 'skimpy clothes' when she has a WHOLE PLANET trying to murder her. Instead of what she's wearing why isn't anyone talking about what she STANDS for? See everyone wants to point fingers and name call without seeing it from both sides..are you really going to wear hot heavy clothing that restricts your movement and makes you uncomfortable? Honestly it's stuff that happens in our world that is slowly choking the life out of games and has been the past few years. Video games are turning into another thing for people to fight over and that's some bovine snacks frankly. Play the games or don't, just don't ruin it for everyone.

I am disappointed by the comments that simply choose to dismiss this article and the need for discussion. Thanks for writing it. I think it was well put together. As people have pointed out, tight fitting athletic wear makes a degree of sense for Samus to wear under her suit but the question is why would she be out of her suit? I think the answer is obvious when you consider her exaggerated proportions (yes, boys, most women do not look like the screenshot of Samus from the new Smash Bros.). The answer: capitalizing on or placating raging hormones.

Nintendo has an opportunity to further hone Samus' character into the unchallenged strongest and most fleshed out woman lead in gaming and I for one would like that to be the inspiration for future appearances of Samus. We have plenty of generic, slender and buxom, scantily clad female characters. We don't need to have another one only helping objectify women for gamers young and old.

Samus is and always will be one of my favorite video game characters. And naturally, she has always been one of my main-mains in the Smash Bros. series.

So, no I do not think she is over-sexualized and any article or editorial where the author states otherwise is one I disagree with. She represents a hot baddonkey chick that not only looks good in a swimsuit but is more skilled than any man in her universe to deal with superhuman alien threats to the galaxy. Beautiful women are still too often judged solely on their looks to the degree that others don't wish to believe that they have any real skills or talent. Samus is a character that proves contrary to this belief and people need to calm down every time they see her in short shorts or a bikini. Nothing wrong with celebrating her physical attributes when her main games always highlight her more famous alien devouring, civilization saving qualities.

@JellySplat That's incorrect. Men do have breasts, can get breast cancer, and in some cases, their breasts can be naturally enlarged (I've seen one case like this with a guy at my high school who had to be about a B cup). Women's breasts weren't meant to be "explicit" or "sexual", they're meant to carry milk. In some cultures, women walk around shirtless all the time and no one blinks an eye. This is part of what is driving a lot of the current debates about restaurants banning breastfeeding and women being able to walk around without bras or shirts.

At the end of the day, we really all just need to store our opinions away, and just shake hands and hug. Sure we all have different views, that's a given, but without such views the world would be a rather boring place. If you want to make changes, then don't argue on an internet topic, instead you can either show your support or disapproval by either buying or not buying the game, because the only way to have your problems or approval heard by a business is with your wallet.

@lulles you could also try reading some of the comments. Most people don't like that they're putting her in stripper heels, and enlarging her breasts for no apparent reason beyond the obvious.

@BlatantlyHeroic or we could discuss opinions because that's the entire point of discussion forums. I mean really you're here giving your opinion and saying not to give opinions. No one is forced to read any of this, if someone doesn't want to see opinions they could always just, you know, not read them.

Tbh that is a long read & I didn't read it all & I've never played a Metroid game before. I'm shocked at the early bikini stuff for the time & cuz it's Nintendo WOW mind-blowing. But the new images in shorts, how the hell is that offensive? It's definitely even a step back from her specialization srsly. In today's porn-heavy internet age let's be real, Samus in shorts is NOT an issue in fact this article should be about the OPPOSITE how this iteration is bucking the trend & toning down her sexualizarion. Props to Sakurai & Nintendo for going in the right direction. Kinda disappointed at Nintendo Life for this article altho I may not have all the facts straight being that I'm not a Metroid fan.

@antonvaltaz AD hominen attacks indeed and I do agree that the attacks were unnecessary. For that I do excuse myself.

Now for the topic at hand.

''Whether something is "canon" or not (and for goodness sake, this is just a computer game series, not some piece of great literature) is completely irrelevant. What IS relevant is whether this is objectifying women in order to help sell videogames to men - and it clearly is, and as a Nintendo fan I am allowed to be disappointed with that.''

Although it is a computer game series, like many other computer game series canonicity is important mind you. Metroid has timeline, Zelda has a timeline and both of those games have elements that are canon to the series. If canonicity wasn't important in this computer game series then to you it might seem that Metroid Pinball, The CD-i Zelda games and Hyrule Warriors are canon to the timeline. Right? So yes even if this isn't some piece of litterature, canon in these computer video games are important. Moving on.

I really don't get how you guys can say she is being objectified. Sexualized? Arguably. But objectified? Haha no! To objectify is to treat someone without regard for their dignity. Let's see. By making this version of Zero Suit Samus, did Sakurai strip her of her dignity? No. Did he make her weak? No. Did he make her a slave to men? No. Did he make her weaker than her previous entry? NO he even changed her moveset and made her stronger!! He DID NOT strip her of her dignity. Check what the words you are about to use actually mean before using them. Because wearing a sports bras she is being objectified? No not at all.

If this outfit was made in order to sell the game to men. Then the Mario american outfit was made to sell to Americans right? I mean it will reach that demographic since the Wii U isn't selling so well in the US they have to reach the americans somehow(not)

I don't understand how you think this outfit will just be to sell to men. What about the women. I have a some females friends who think this outfit is good looking and cool. They also say they would play as this Samus most of the time. They aren't males yet they are the ones among my friends that have a had the ''I would play as this version of Samus all the time'' response. Not only because they find it cool but also because they think its a nice addition to add an outfit from a previous Metroid game. I'm a male. What was my reaction you ask? My reaction was basically '' wow Samus looks good but I thinks she looks better with her Zero suit from the Metroid Prime 3: Corruption(Thats the first time I had saw a 3DS model of her in the Zero suit).''

This outfit was also in this game due to a female developer on the team. She must have thought this would be a cool addition to the game. I mean this is from a game in the Metroid series and not some bikini piece they decided to put on Samus just because they could. SO it was a FEMALE that decided to add this design, NOT a male.

I don't know why, Nintendo Life wrote this. This should not be discussed because a lot of people aren't mature enough too talk about these things. Meaning a lot of people on here. (I'm not saying names) Can simply understand the concept of this article. Bad Idea. I am going to say this, the suit has nothing wrong with it. Like I said before, I can understand if its clearly showing butt & breast. Then other thing to mention here is that who ever is saying she has a lot of make-up on. I disagree. Cause I clearly don't see anything on her.

@hylianhalcyon
But it's a video game..saying things like that kinda devalves other's opinions and feelings(like myself). No one is saying that it's not a problem, it is, but is really going after video games going to fix it? It's been said a few times but stories like this get a lot of views because people are going to agrue about it. Sexism goes both ways and honestly games don't have anything to do with our social problems, that's why it doesn't matter IMO because this isn't the proper OUTLET for a serious and honest discussion.

Edit: I also wanted to say that Nintendo Life and their partner sites are fantastic sites ran by really honest and upstanding staff and that wasn't meant for any of you guys. You post fun, awesome news and trustworthy reviews. You guys rock!

She looks fine. The only thing that is annoying me is the fact that some think she isn't wearing makeup. There is nothing wrong with her wearing makeup, or the amount of makeup, but guys need to realise girls aren't born with eyeliner and lipstick...

@TheClockworkB Well said, the creator of this did Not make her a sex slave or anything life that. I know a lot girls have said there's nothing wrong with her suit. So a lot of people are taking this to the extreme.

Tell me, where are the articles outlining the sexualization and gender roles implied on Peach or Zelda? Does only Samus deserve an article because she looks sexy to you? To me that feels invariably more sexist, to assume that Samus is sexualized only because she is sexy. This is nothing.

@Yorumi Dropping your opinion is fine! What I've specifically been talking about is arguing. Now a little bit of a friendly conversation is absolutely fine and that's what we're having. What I was referring to were the insults several people have been sending each other.

She's been sexualised from the first game. Did we really need this article to tell us that? I suppose it isn't as sexualised as other games, but it's still there, which is negative. On the other hand, she is the hero, not some pathetic damsel in distress, though. But I always hate the end where she pops up in a bikini. I didn't think it was necessary. It's not as if Mario takes off his dungarees every time he rescues Peach, so yes, she is badly depicted.

@BlatantlyHeroic perhaps I misread your post but it seemed like you were saying not to discuss this. I agree fully on the insults, I wish we had more people putting pressure on posters to stop the insults. Discussions and arguments(in the logic sense of the word, not a shouting match) are really interesting to me because when people are being respectful you can often learn more about yourself and your own positions than anything else. You can often times see views, or solutions you never thought of, or possibly see the logical outcome of your positions.

Sexualized? A bit, yeah, I suppose. It's not like it's the sole focus of the game or like Samus is jumping in the next DOA Volleyball game.

Is it an issue? Not in the slightest. She's got to wear something under her Varia suit and I don't really see her in anything besides the Zero Suit, no matter what iteration of it they use.

I think Samus, Zero Suit or not, is still a strong female character in games that's respected for her incredible feats and general "pro-skills". I don't think there are many people who turn on a Metroid title for the skin-tight Zero Suit. It's not what the early Tomb Raider games were and it's not what Dead or Alive is.

It has gone a bit far and unfortunately Other M really messed up with its combination of implants and subjugation. I like Other M, and I love the Metroid series. What Samus needs is a new solid Metroid game that lets her be awesome however she is dressed and doesn't contrive ways to encourage undressing her. :/

@YorumiWhen it comes to Smash, why would anyone shell out that much money to look at one character? With articles like this the game gets more attention which could lead to more sales, but I don't buy that anyone would buy Smash because of a sexy female character, one character, though they aren't interested in Smash at all. Or even if someone would do it, then they are likely few in number.

No use real and game in the same sentence. Games aren't real. I am tired of people complaining when changes happen. But this is less of a change since she had this look close to 30 years ago now. Sure it was at the end of the game but come on. This is just a alt costume. Will a topless Mario help to balance things out? Seriously what is the problem with this. Nintendo is funding a game where the character gets close to naked after finishing her attacks. No whining about that only praise. Make a article damning bayonetta or please stop making an article to tell me samus should not look like this even though she as in past games.

@Rin-go it's not this one specific reason it's a bunch little things they do. This is just an example I have no idea if they actually specifically did this but it would go something like this:

get a group of people and show them screenshots or concept art and ask, which style would make you more likely to buy the game(show zero suit with different colors, fusion suit, this outfit in the article etc). And then a bunch of people pick this one.

Now like I said they maybe didn't focus group this particular one, it could very well have just been a concept artist or modeler putting this together and they picked it. But there is focus group data for that kind of stuff. Heck companies will focus group various shades of a color for their soap. Or for that matter they've discovered people are more likely to shop at a store with a blue sign instead of a red one.

Unless the only things she's wearing is a thong and a bikini top I don't care. Seriously, this is why EVERYTHING gets censored here in America. You people are pathetically soft and to be honest I don't know why. I'm pretty sure this is gonna be a T rated game, like Brawl was.

Hey guys, an unfortunate many of you may have noticed your insults toward other users have been removed (come on, people, not cool), and still more that off-topic comments have been edited or deleted. Please, let's all be civil towards one another, even if we don't agree on something, and if you don't want to be here in this comment thread for whatever reason, don't be here — allow those who do want to discuss the topic at hand to have their say. We're asking that you post constructively or not at all, and fair warning: if you're just here to troll, you will wind up banned. Thanks in advance, everyone! :3

Metroid Fusion is the last game chronologically. Zero suit is part of gameplay history including Zero Mission and Brawl. The new alt clothing are directly inspired from the endings of both Fusion and Zero Mission. Finally, most of my memories from Other M are of Samus wearing the military casual clothing, as shown on the Other M box art.

Which btw, should definitely also me an alt costume in the new Smash Bros!

If any Nintendo character is oversexualised, it's Palutena. Every time I see her mentioned somebody has to post a drawing or Gif of her hips swaying. Basically, she's devolved into some lame fanservice fodder, whereas with Samus, she has usually been drawn in a more respectable manner.

Well this talking point is pretty something (don't want to use mean words). A top that doesn't even show cleavage and shorts that aren't even short shorts are considered oversexualized? This is pretty tame compared to the average outfits sexy female characters wear in most videogames. This author makes it sound like Sakurai used Other M Samus and this alternate costume just to sell us on her sexy body, which makes me wonder how much the author knows about Smash and Sakurai. Sakurai tends to use the same design from a character's most recent game and he added this alternate outfit because it's the old school outfit samus wore and well Smash is a celebration of Nintendo and its history. I forgot we live in a world where being sexy and strong is a no-no.

@Yorumi Exactly! Standing with your personal position and having a civil debate is by all means fine and perfectly acceptable. Not only do your own beliefs grow, but you can also end up learning things from the opposing view. It's really just a quest of gathering and sharing knowledge and ideas, as well as refining them.

The fact that having a debate over the sexualization of Samus has made me think of this site in a bad manner. She is a heroin. I always thought she kind of reminded me of Sigourney Weaver in Aliens, but I have never thought my comments were insensitive, their opinions. Evoking censorship when it's not even necessary because people are getting offended over their own shadows is insulting to your readers and your fanbase. This means my summer vacation is officially over and I won't be coming back to this site for a few months. I guess I'm the hypersensitive one now.

Unfortunately oversexed females aren’t a new problem at Nintendo. The last years Wii U Exclusives Trailer (23rd Aug 2013) had a low-angle-shot form Bayonetta with spread legs and her unambiguous comment: “No one said you could touch!”

@Zatioichi Going after anything that practices objectification of women is going to help. And video games absolutely do reflect our society's social issues. All media reflects our values and views as a culture, so saying we should let games off the hook because they are a separate entity from broader social issues is both incorrect and just trying to dodge the issue.

While sexualization does exist in the gaming world, I don't see them doing it too much to Samus, she's the world's first proper gaming heroine it shouldn't be that big a deal that she's wearing heels or a sports bra.

Remember the Fire Emblem Awakening DLC and how that was nothing but shameless fan service with Tharja and Cordelia in bikinis? Well you also got Chrom and Gaius in shorts so no discrimination there right? We're living in a world where names like Solid Snake and Naked Snake exist, I think we shouldn't get too worked up over a sports bra.

At least Nintendo never made a game where they completely crippled Samus's character and turned her into some daddy's girl with parental problems that gets shy over fighting dragons. (Don't you dare correct me)

To all of the guys who are saying stuff like, "Men are sexualized too, but I'm not making a big deal out of it."

My question is, why aren't you? You certainly have as much right to be offended by the sexualization of men. The fact of the matter is BOTH men and women are sexualized. Why should any of that be okay in the first place? Why should anyone accept that?
Just because both genders are being sexualized doesn't make it okay.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying sexuality is a bad thing. However, when it is exploited or abused, it becomes unhealthy for the mind and body. The story/games could have easily been written so that the suit always stayed on. The removal of the whole suit was intentional, it is fanservice, it's as simple as that.

Her athelticism doesn't bother me. I'm sure if I ran around like she does, that I would be built like that too (and I would be a healthier person for it). What bothers me is the, "if you've got it, flaunt it" mentality. She could just as easily pull off a tasteful leotard, in my opinion. Plus those heels are crossing the line. No one sensible would battle in heels, they are only there to further solidify her as a virtual sex symbol. I think it's great that she is a strong heroine, but that's about as far as my appreciating her as a character goes.

I just saw this as something that Samus would wear while rollerblading next to a beach, lol. Yeah, not going to ignore that she looks attractive, but I'm also not seeing this as something super sexual or anything like it.

It seems as time goes by, people get easily offended. In the early 80s and 90s, there were games where female knights/heroes wore armor that looked like a one-piece swimsuit with a cape and sword. Heard no one crying about them then.

You guys have seen Senran Kagura, but we're gonna get on Samus wearing sports wear under her full-body armor as "sexualization"? REAL PEOPLE wear that crap for REAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES...such as -> FIGHTING <-. Nintendo Life, don't make me start avoiding your site like Game Spot.

Samus is not sexualized. People really need to learn the difference between a sexualized form and the idealized form. Samus is an idealized form of the female figure. Yeah she wears skimpy and attractive wear under her suit but what does that matter? She is not bending over, jiggling her goodies or posing provocatively, she's doing her thing. Kicking butt. I personally find it more disgusting that anyone would say she cannot kick butt while looking however she wants to or that a mature adult cannot be as provocative as he or she wishes to be just because it makes you feel bad when they're not hurting anyone. That's just as bad as saying goths and punks are hurting society by dressing and thinking differently than the social norms. Or that gays are bad because being heterosexual is more common than not. Stuffing your own feelings down their throats is more insulting than someone just showing what they look like. When you go out fighting space pirates, or come home from doing the same, I feel you can wear whatever you want to fight/chill in.

Also Japan is way more okay with their female designs being skimpy, exaggerated, and what not than the west so just deal with it. Don't like it don't look. Don't be some snobbish douche desperately trying to force the world and everyone in it to appeal to your sensibilities and preferences. That's a childish mentality to have.

This has to be the worst article I have ever read on Nintendolife,it's ridiculously bad. When Samus' Smash outfit was revealed,out of all the comments left only really you and a handful of others had an issue with it.It's hardly a pair of micro shorts and skimpy bra with boobs hanging out she is wearing is it?By that logic the majority of female sports women must be sexualised too then?And as several previously pointed out,what about the sexualisation of Captain Falcon?Poor Falcon being exploited for the enjoyment of female eyes.

Regardless of the article, insults and attacks are not tolerated here. If you have particular issues you wish to tell the staff, use the contact form instead. -Lz

@hylianhalcyonI'm pretty sure if that was the case it would just be out right said and done. Again her vaules and morals as well as her looks all stem from the same sources. On top of that society doesn't speak for everyone or everything, certainly not for me. I think this is a waste of time when much worse things are happening to both women and men out there. Sexism isn't just a one sided issue but that's how it's coming out concerning video games. Games aren't scapegoats or platforms for an agenda but for having fun and this sexism stuff isn't FUN. To me when you go after stuff like this you take validity from the issue itself.

I'm glad to see a sane comment section for once on such a matter... people being reasonable and discussing respectfully.Got to agree with @OorWullie though... The writing is, IMO, pretty bad and one-sided, not typically what is read here...

@DJ_Siniestro
Tell that to Bayonette as she's poppin' domes with those heel guns lol but I've seen a woman fight in heels and lemme tell you a nice heel is super effective. No one gave her crap after that.

People are making too big a deal out of this. When I look at Zero Suit Samus, even in that bikini-ish outfit (which really isn't a bikini so long as she wears SHORTS), I just see a woman who happens to be ready to kick some serious ass. Honestly, I think even Yoshi is more sexualized because all he wears is boots and a saddle. Just sayin'. Getting kinda tired of all these remarks on oversexualizing Samus if I have to be honest.

@Zatioichi Probably not, because first off not everything that objectifies women is gone after. For example, you are saying we should just be brushing it aside in video games. We should not. Sexism should not be brushed aside in anything. It is an issue in our society, just like racism (Ferguson anyone?) that needs to be addressed. Video games, just like movies and literature and all media, have been very guilty of objectification when it isn't needed.

Absolutely society doesn't speak for everyone, I'm saying this is an issue for our culture right here right now today. Often times things such as racism and sexism seep out of people unconsciously without them even realizing how racist or sexist they are being.

The reason it is a seemingly one sided issue (in terms of male vs female I think you mean) in video games is because it is mostly a one sided issue for society as a whole. For every dollar a man makes a woman makes $.75 on average, and for the same exact job. Video games haven't objectified men nearly as much as women, so that's why this discussion is so seemingly "one sided" to you.

No, sexism isn't fun. Video games are not a scapegoat for an agenda. They are just a part of a much larger issue. Which is why talking about sexism in them is completely relevant.

The thing is, is that everyone is judging it from a western perspective and what we deem to be appropriate for us in the US and Europe (in my case). But we don't stop to think about cultural differences in Japan.

I know for a fact if Japanese people started pointing out things they saw as flaws in our viewpoints we wouldn't have any of it and would list why they are wrong and we are right, because "we know what is right".

The fact of the matter is that this is a Japanese game being released abroad and as a result there will be some cultural differences causing debate, but do we really need to spend a whole talking point discussing if she is overly sexualised because she wears something that is from her games and makes her look attractive.

I SAY NAYYYYYY!!!

(Also men don't all look like muscle bound Little Macs and C. Falcons so life isn't fair)

Okay, here's what I think about it: Do I think she's sexualized? Not really. I mean, yeah the new outfit was probably added for...reasons, but then again, is it really that bad? I mean, yeah, it shows a little more skin, but they could've done a lot worse. I mean, heck, if they REALLY wanted to sexualize her they, they could've just had her in a bikini. The point is, do I think it's fan-service? Well, maybe a little. But do I think it's sexualization? No, not really. Besides, there is definitely worse out there (DoA Xtreme, anyone?).

Ok, I'm going to bring this argument down to the level it seems to like to go in: the writer of this article is male, thus part of the patriarchy that oppresses women, and so his opinion is void. Furthermore, since we know no free-thinking woman would ever wear something like a sports bra and shorts attire, or a skin-tight suit (or tights!) by her own free will, all women doing this are not acting out of free will, but are acting out of the oppression of the patriarchy.

@hylianhalcyon
And in both cases instead of going after a branch(videos games, music, movies, ect.) You should go after the roots.(People) Just like racism YOU KNOW when someone is being racist by what and how something is said. Samus isn't entering any games shaking her butt and chest giving you a bed room eye is she? Nothing she's doing is making her a sex object at all. Im not brushing it off at all. I'm saying that its just a game when you see what's happening to women and men in the real world. Having a go at samus is just dragging a hero through the mud just for existing. To me Samus was ment to identify with girls back then to say "Hey it's not just men that go around and save the world." And for boys " Hey women can be and are just as able as bad donkey as any man hero." But as it stands some shorts and a shirt has more weight that the things she stands for.

The issue is one sided as it doesn't bring up sexism as a whole. If its not okay for women its not okay for mean, this a HUMAN issue. People do this to each other everyday and it's people that need to unite and fix it. Society needs to understand that you're doing this to someone's daughter or mother, to another human life and that's not okay. Once we drop certain stigmas things will change but again it has to start and end with us, not data.

My one stop shop for Nintendo news... but I can't believe this article exists. Samus' image does not detracted from the gameplay or character. I think Nintendo balances between her image and character very well. I enjoy playing as both forms in SSB and had never considered her sexualised... as even in the Wii U version Samus is still and will always be just a computer game character, purely for light hearted entertainment. Did she need to be wearing less clothes? ... well I'd probably go with shorts too if I was going several rounds with Donkey Kong.

I disagree with the author who claims she is 'portrayed with the ridiculous proportions we see here.' I see women with this physique and dressed like this or less at the gym all the time. Guess what? Attractive, fit women exist. Know what else? They sometimes wear tank tops and shorts, especially when exercising (fighting Kirby IS exercise.) Why is it wrong for the female form to be seen anyway? Is it because you can see the female shape? Female body is a beautiful thing. She is no more inappropriately dressed than Little Mac or the Wii Fit Trainers. Slow news day?

@MagusDiablo: I am saying it to prove a point: that these arguments are patently absurd, and the people making a fuss about this seem to only want attention. Sexualization in videogames is a non-issue: unequal pay and governments trying to regulate things like birth control are true issues for women that the social justice warrior league don't seem to give two seconds of thought for. All they want is to complain about something but do nothing to try to fix anything. Most of them are attention seeking people with an agenda: marketing their own image.

@Galenmereth the ad hominem attacks are not necessary. Respectful people are perfectly capable of making a point without personal attacks. You have absolutely no idea what the motives behind anyone's actions are and that is a stone cold fact. Claiming you do is simply not true and nothing justifies all the personal attacks. This is what drags discussion down into the gutter.

@Yorumi: I am not attacking any specific person, although I have quite a few in mind. However, again, I do not mention names because that would be a personal attack, and I do not condone that in any way. But sometimes it's required to not tippy toe around people's feelings and just say what you mean: these are my opinions. I'm not naming or targeting anyone with them, and so I do not see what harm it causes whatsoever.

I'm not sure if this has been said, and to completely miss the point of the article, where you said "(a precedent that would largely be ignored, as later games would let her remove the suit at will)" is inaccurate, because chronologically speaking, Metroid Fusion is currently the last game.

@Galenmereth you're attacking the motives of people who talk about this issue. You're just hiding behind not specifying a person. You're making broad generalizations about a diverse group of people making statements that are absolutely unprovable. No one, I repeat no one, can know the motives behind someone's actions unless told. It has nothing to dowith people's feelings, it's insulting to cast these aspersions on people and nothing more than an ad hominem attack. Even if everything you say were true it would in no way afect the validity of the argument being made. An ad hominem attack occurs when you attack a person instead of an argument which is what you've done. It's a logical fallacy and creates a totally invalid argument as well as suggesting you're incapable of actually defending your position so you must attack people instead.

If you disagree with someone's opinion explain why you think their argument is wrong instead of attacking the person.

I really don't care as long as they don't give her that abomination pixel face from Metroid 1 back. If that's a reward please put the helmet back on or let a Metroid suck your head off.

In my opinion, she looks better and better from game to game.
It's like seeing someone nice every few years and that person is looking healthier and nicer everytime.
Everyone should strive for a bikini body for sure!!

As others have stated this just looks like gym wear. Her generally body shape does also make sense considering all the things she has to do. The only thing that doesn't make sense to me is how large her chest is. That's blatant sexualization there. You could also argue Captain Falcon or Ike are sexualized though so who cares? Sexualization is part of our society after all. Not even Nintendo is free of it

Samus' image has been damaged far more by Other M's story (though the gameplay was still quite good) and certain older stories. Despite being a strong, almost predatory female and a trained killer, she has become too reliant on the males around her for vindication.If anything, the proportions are off, but the outfits are more than appropriate for someone in her profession. The issues with Samus are a direct result of her inclusion in the Nintendo universe. Samus is as third party as a first party Wii U title is likely to get and Metroid may not make it's appearance until 2016, at the earliest.The author of the article is dreaming if he thinks western culture isn't fueled by overt sexuality. The only difference is the genitals. Japanese media (gaming, manga, anime) is chock full of nudity! Japanese people don't actually care, as long as the artist doesn't draw pubic hair.The truth is, yes, Samus' proportions have been sexualized, but Metroid has always been the big draw for 'hardcore' gamers. GTA, Tomb Raider, FF, DoA, wrestling games and many others (God of War comes to mind) have always been rather sexually focused, and they sell VERY well. Sexualizing Samus while retaining Metroid's core gameplay and exploration treads two grounds with precarious balance, but without 3rd party support, Nintendo needs enticing content for gamers that (frankly) aren't buying Mario, Mario Kart, DK, or Pikmin. It's a blow to existing Metroid fans, undoubtedly and not a path I'd take, but if it's the only path that opens those avenues, it's something Nintendo's obviously going to consider. Many 'mature' titles have hit Nintendo's consoles in the past, it is definitely an audience Nintendo currently lacks (where the games are mature or not is an aside).

@bobbypaycheque I totally agree. I go to the gym and I run around the park and I see girls who wear shorts with tank tops or sports bras all the time. It doesn't bother them why should it bother anyone else and why do people think they have the right to dictate how a woman should look or dress. Women come in all shapes in sizes. To me sexualisation comes from the way you behave not the way you look. Don't judge a book by the cover.

@MagusDiablo or perhaps the people discussing this issue don't fit your stereotype. Reasonable people can expres their concerns while also realizing the world isn't perfect and they have to decide what is truly worthy of refusing to buy a product. The author and many commentators have laid out arguments and clearly explained why they don't like what they're doing with her character but also that they understand it's not the end of the world. Perhaps instead of name calling and stereotyping we leave that behind and have a respectful discussion?

@PrincessSugoi Are we living in a third world country? Do women walk around shirtless in the streets where you live? No. I never said Women's breasts were "Meant to be explicit" they just are in our culture. They carry milk yes, but Men also desire them for reasons I would care not to elaborate on.

Also, Men do not have "actual" breasts. If you REALLY think that then you are utterly mistaken (no pun intended). Maybe, if they're overweight then the fatty tissue around the pectoral muscles will enlarge and sag a bit.
Or if certain feminine hormones are consumed, certain "growths" may surface. I'm blanking on the name of the hormone, but I know it can be transmitted through dairy Milk (I don't know much about this myself, but I'm sure you can Google it).

Also, if a man were to undergo a sex change and obtain artificial breasts that's also a factor I suppose, but one that I'm disregarding as it's not of natural means.

I mean no disrespect at all through my comment. but whether you like it or not, regular average Men have nothing to hide underneath their shirts, and regular average Women do.
Granted, it would be rude to take off your shirt in public whether you're a guy or not, and there are many cases where modesty would come in to play. So as they say "there is a time and a place for everything".

No woman would approve of this form of dress.Right.American Apparel, Lululemon, and places that sell slutty clubwear don't exist.And if they're selling, it's only to repressive males buying it for the women.Right.Fact is, men think about sex more, but women are just as sexual (if not more so) than their male counterparts.Women just tend to have different standards.So overbearing, pushy men call them 'prudes' or drop lesbian slurs all about.Women. Are. Sexual.It takes two people to make a kid and birth control is everywhere. With 7 billion people on this rock.. I know women are sexual beings.

@Yorumi: "You're making broad generalizations about a diverse group of people making statements that are absolutely unprovable." Which is precisely what a lot of people in said group of people also do, but the other way. I cannot count the number of times I've been told my opinions are worthless because I am male. If I am male, by default I am part of the patriarchy, and unless I agree 100%, I am a misogynistic apologist. The term sexism going both ways is apparently irrelevant, because due to men ruling the world, men cannot discuss the oppression of women. That is an ad hominem attack based on gender. And this is why I specified one group of people — the social justice warriors. When social justice turns to bullying those who have a different opinion, is it still justice? Most of the arguments thrown around are not based on research, and so we are discussing subjective opinions. For all the people offended by Samus' new training attire, all the people that do not care are silent. They are the majority. The majority of women do not care one iota about how women are portrayed in video games. This is conjecture and I don't have a specific study to link to, but seeing as there's just a tiny group of people online complaining about this serves as my baseline for that argument. It is making issues out of non-issues instead of handling and working on things that do matter. If people honestly feel the portrayal of Samus and her other female counterparts in other videogames warrant attention more than the issue of unequal pay — a cause which women started fighting for in the 70s and still society at large has yet to rectify — then honestly they are more focused on their own image than on the unfair treatment of women.

@Galenmereth and all that justifies doing the same thing you condem? That justifies complete hypocricy? Hypocricy that you admit to? Bad behavior justifies more bad behavior? You want to attack people for making personal attacks while making personal attacks. That rings rather hollow.

It does not. Be the bigger person, and set an example if you think they're behaving so badly. Instead of dragging the discussion down into the gutter lift it up. If more people decided to stop personally attacking everyone they disagree with the problem of personal attacks wouldn't exist. Instead so many people like you decide to just contribute to the problem and it worse for everyone. If you can't first treat a person with respect how can you expect them to treat you with respect?

Zero Suit Samus is 100% tasteful. Women are allowed to have boobs. Zero Suit Samus is no more sexualized than half the male protagonists out there (not referring to male Nintendo protagonists because most of them aren't designed for slightly more mature games like Metroid.)

EDIT: I would also like to add that shirtless males with bulging muscles are just as sexualized, if not much more than, zero suit Samus. You will also notice she is fully clothed and even her alternate costumes are tasteful.

@Yorumi: Except I do not do what they do. I am not saying their arguments are invalid because of who they are, I'm making a statement about their agenda. What is the point in me repeating the great arguments on this already found and made here in these comments? I'd rather supplement them by adding that a lot of the basis for these arguments is without good reason. Like stated elsewhere, women wear training outfits when they exercise, like men do. What Samus wears is not demeaning: it's perfectly tasteful. Words like objectification are thrown around with no regard for their actual meaning. Samus would be objectified if her purpose in the game was only to be an object of sexual reference and fanservice. But she is a fighter, as powerful as any of the others — male, female or dinosaur — and she wears a sports attire. Like Little Mac.

Believe it or not, but most women do not feel bad about dressing attractively. It's not a shameful act that demeans their person. It's freedom of expression, and the majority dress in a way that makes them feel good by choice. for some that's "skimpy", for others it's more muted. But let's not make an issue out of a fictional character looking attractive while performing martial arts and kicking ass.

@Galenmereth and my point is you can say that without attacking the people. You started off by launching straight into ad hominem attacks. You immediately started out by exactly saying the arguments were absurd because of the people making it, implying you know their motives which you don't. The author of this article make a well informed article with his thoughts on the issue in a reasonable mannor and you launched straight into attacks. And don't even try to hide behind not naming people and claiming that you wern't referring to anyone here cause if you wern't you're massively off topic and were just using this as a platform to launch attacks against people.

Even now with your responses you're showing you didn't really even read the article just the headline. Believe it or not the article isn't exactly about this outfit it's more about what they're potentially doing to the character and asking whether or not that's a good thing. I get that people can be annoying sometimes but attacks are never justified, they just breed more attacks.

@Yorumi Isn't it attacking people by proxy you're annoyed by? People that align themselves with a group cannot claim personal attack when it is the opinions of the group that is attacked.

I read the article. But Samus' new attire in SSB is the spearhead of the argument — "look at what Nintendo is doing with Samus". I agree Other M was manchauvenistic piece of garbage — at least based on cutscenes, I never did play it. But the article talks about her visual appearence being demeaning, or sexualized, and her being objectified. Which is wrong.

I'm also not hiding behind anything: I did directly say that many social justice warriors make issues out of non issues. I stand by that. And I see nothing wrong in questioning a group's motives, when it directly correlates with the discussed topic. And make no mistake that this whole spectacle on women in games is used by some individuals as marketing for their own brand. It's a hot topic. It sells games, it pulls article clicks.

The target I paint with the term social justice warriors are for people that take the act of judging and serving justice into their own hands. Because that's what it means. People bullying those that do not conform to their own ideas and principles. I'm not saying the writer of this article is among these people: but the narrative is certainly narrated by such figures. Recent controversies over the past week ought to make you, too, question their motives.

@Galenmereth then you're doing nothing more than using the platform for you own off topic ranting. You've basically said "no one here did anything wrong but I'm going to go on a rant and attack against unnamed people who arn't here but are somewhere." Furthermore you're on the one hand trying to estabilish guilt by association, and then going on to do the grouping yourself and then using that guilt by association, an association you created to attack the group. If we dismissed every single discussion because someone who had an opinion did something wrong we might as well never discuss anything at all. If you think they're so wrong then show them by example, engaging in the same behaviour only makes matters worse.

@Yorumi Nah, not feeling like it. It's not a bad thing to created characters with big breasts, you know. Or in high heels. This outfit of hers is far from being sexualized, even less than her zero suit one. Sorry but not sorry that I don't feel offended like you.

@lulles who said anything about being offended? That word has been thrown around all over this topic and yet I havn't really seen anyone saying they are. Just because you don't like a particular direction one segment of a game is going doesn't require offense. If someone doesn't like the art style of say skyward sword that doesn't mean they're offended by the style. Likewise, people in this topic can say they don't like what they're doing with Samus while not claiming any offense.

@lulles I didn't say no one does, I said I havn't seen people here claiming that. You're using a straw man, it being offensive isn't being argued here at all, the topic is about is this harming her character. Instead of addressing the topic you're choosing to erect a straw man and knock that down instead. No one is even questioning whether or not you'll see this somewhere out in the world. Heck in my first post I said I wasn't going to lose any sleep over it, but you want to take reasonable statements and claim radicalism instead of addressing the topic.

Samus, over the years she has put more and more clothes on and people whine that she is being sexualised. This was simply a whim by a designer who wanted to get these designs in for a character she loves. There is nothing wrong with this. Why can't Samus have a down time wardrobe? Should she spend her life in her Zero Suit or Power Suit? Please take a look at this: http://imgur.com/M0475Qa

I miss when you barely saw more than her face Prime 1, even at 100% completion; She had more of a mystique.

Even with the Zero suit invented by Prime 3, at least Retro used it tastefully. (showing only parts of her face and body, and never being sexual in any way) Samus nowadays is just blatant, over-done fanservice. (Thanks to Brawl mainly; a body suit doesn't work like that for a woman's chest-area)

It used to be a treat to see the heroine take off her suit; now its just commonplace and honestly uninteresting.

@lulles now you're just putting words in my mouth, which you did you from the very beginning. I'm pointing out you're using a straw man that's all. To prove my point in #251 you claimed I said I was offended, which I pointed out was false. If you think you're right would you mind quoting the post where I said I'm offended by the new outfit and not merely saying I didn't like what they were doing?

I want to know why some people hate the character in Other M. Prior to that game we had practically no characterization of any kind for Samus. This macho bounty hunting woman idea is purely in the minds of the gamer. In fact, the times we do see her with characterization in Gameboy games, she is obviously a compassionate person. Saving the baby Metroid in Metroid 2, her monologues during cut scenes and talking to Adam in Fusion, they all connect to the character portrayed in Other M.

@Trikeboy there are a few main things that are just so radically out of character for her. At first the setup for why you can't use all your weapons makes sense. Adam basically says look we're on a space station we'd all feel better if you wern't firing off super missiles and power bombs. But then you hit parts where you need a specific weapon or suit feature otherwise her life is in critical danger, like the fire section, she does use what she needs, and worse doesn't even request it. Specially the fire section, come on that's not even a weapon.

Her interactions with Adam generally portray her was weak, it feels less like a respected mentor and more like submission, or as others have put it some kind of daddy complex. Compassion isn't really the issue, the character that has been established up to then was a strong and independent woman. In other M she's more weak and submissive.

Finally ridley, her reaction to that is so wrong on all kinds of levels. Surprise would be fine, a complete, even if temporary, mental break down? No, absolutely not. This is not Samus' first mission, she's been through hell and back at this point. She is a battle hardened warrior at this point in her life and there is absolutely no way she would have that kind of reaction. That ties back in to the whole weak and submissive part.

I could have accepted this samus if it was her first mission. Sure she would have had training but training vs actual combat are two different things. However, it wasn't her first mission. It can certainly be argued the baddonkey personality of samus has never been fully established but certainly she's not a weepy little girl either.

I actually enjoyed the gameplay of other M quite a lot, that aspect was well done. I even enjoyed some of the backstory, and appreciate the attempt at giving her more personalty. For that matter I actually hope nintendo continues to do so and develops the character more. It's just here were some quite egregious mistakes made in other M.

Anyway that's the way I feel about other M, I'm going to bed now, I'll check back in the morning if there are any questions.

Dude, Nintendo can have ONE character that is sexu- im not even going to use that word. ATTRACTIVE CHARACTERS IN FICTION WILL NEVER LEAVE. People like characters to be larger than life, this goes back to freaking Beowulf. People also like characters that they can relate to; there is a balance. Not every freaking woman in media needs to be an average looking 20 something that doesnt wear makeup.

@Trikeboy The thing that bugged me personally, was that it felt like Samus was two completely different people in Other M; the one you actually control and the one in the cutscenes. One minute you're blasting up a boss in an over-the-top fashion, suddenly a cutscene starts and she's all mopey about what Adam thinks about her; its so alien.

Samus did have a personality in the Prime trilogy though; she was a super tough female bounty hunter, true. But she also put her life before others in order to ensure their safely (the Luminoth, GFed troopers in Prime 3, etc.), she had compassion; lamented the deaths of her allies, and she never let the loss of them stop her from completing her mission.

God forbid a woman be fit and slim, let alone show any skin. How disgusting, right? They should really cover up their disgusting body so as to not tempt the perverted masses. How dare Samus have LEGS and an ABDOMEN. Gross. Everyone knows real women don't have those things.

No, seriously, that's the tone I'm getting from this article.

This kind of attitude is dangerous, and it comes off as attempting to shame women who are 'conventionally attractive' or athletic. I see outfits like this on a daily basis from joggers on the sidewalk. Do you go up to those people and tell them they need to cover up? Do they make you uncomfortable and impose an overly sexualized image on other women? Take a step back and think about what you're saying to women who actually look like this.

I hope you also realize that just because you find Samus attractive doesn't suddenly cause her other qualities and personality to vaporize. Why is Samus suddenly 'over-sexualized' and not a strong and independent woman anymore just because she's not wearing her power suit?

And "Bikini-style" outfits? Are you kidding me? She's wearing shorts and a tank top. They come from her games; they're not some shocking new sexualized twist being added to her character just for Smash.

This is a pretty disappointing article to see come out of Nintendo Life. I usually regard this site as one of the few that actually reports video game news and writes great reviews instead of shoving the "GAMES ARE PROBLEMATIC TO SOCIETY" agenda down my throat. There are very few gaming sites left that don't do that, and I don't wanna have to weed you guys out of my RSS feed like I've recently had to do with the likes of Kotaku and Polygon. On sites like this I just wanna read about video game news and reviews, not a blog-like childish take on video game politics.

Like Wolverine, Samus was better as a mysterious character with nearly everything about her open to interpretation. Since Zero Mission it's been all downhill, so you might as well have Zero Clothes Samus in Smash: it can't get any worse.

What I think is disturbing about this article is the presupposition that empowered, independent females are not sexually promiscuous, independent, or recognizable - and the fact that most commenters share the same wrong presupposition without question.

We are all sexual beings. Sex itself is a daily aspect of life, sexual identity is a big part of who we are. This will manifest in any art form, communication, you name it - and that is healthy.

If intelligent and strong, leading or independent women are expected not to have a very visual, inviting, promiscuous - or anything, really - aspect to their identity, I don't know what is more sexist to be honest

I think some of you are just upset because the game is being critiqued in a more analytical fashion. It's important to have these discussions because they depict current society.

Yes, it's fine if a woman looks like that, but the point is that it seems so obviously added in only because to have people gawk over her. Continues to keep the stereotype that women are sexual objects for our viewing pleasure. It fuels that stereotype and that's why it can be negative.

Now, I'm not saying that female characters need to be covered in layers of clothing, but something this blatantly sexual just feels a bit too much and inappropriate. Might as well have enlarged her breasts some more and added some "blush" effects to her cheeks every time she jumped up. Because, of course, women are all like that.

I think it's fine to a degree, but with Smash Bros' designs they've pretty much crossed a line to where they've sexualized her beyond the point of practicality. First of all, there's the high heeled jet boots. The idea is pretty neat, and it fits her pretty well, but why do they have to be high heels? High heels generally aren't good for mobility. Second, I don't think it makes much sense for her to be showing off that much skin in her line of work. She's a bounty hunter, why would she bare her skin like that and make herself vulnerable? It doesn't really make sense for her to wear that kind of outfit.

I honestly don't mind a little sexualization every now and then, but this does seem to be a bit over the top. I think Zero Suit is where they should draw the line, pretty much anything else they do to sexualize her after that is just unnecessary and impractical.

@CarsonPistol: I think a better thing to say would be: "The vast majority of the people who voted in your poll don't think it's a major issue (Nearly 80%)."

I agree with the rest of your post though. Thankfully, these types of articles are easy to ignore. Hopefully the writers don't start shoehorning their political views into reviews anytime soon. Those aren't as easy to ignore.

She has been sexualised, it's true, but I think the only problem in this regard was how she was shown in Other M. In every other game she's been silent, (generally) alone on her mission and had to overcome enormous obstacle by herself, which was a fantastic depiction of a strong female character. Other M made her suddenly have to work alongside a load of men making her stand out like a sore thumb as if to make a note of the fact that she's 'still strong compared to these chaps'. The idea of her being a lone bounty hunter out for herself and not some whiny Tomb Raider reboot Lara Croft is what made her character so great – she was so subtly portrayed even in the later games that if you took out all the direct references to her sex you could easily be mistaken for thinking she was a man or (as I thought when I was 8 and first played Metroid 2) a robot.

Samus is a fantastic character, these costumes do not overtly sexualise her more than any other character, just don't let Team Ninja have a go at another Metroid game.

He's a boxer, lol. How many male boxer's do you know wear knitted sweaters when they're preparing for a heavyweight title fight?

I think the point of the article is...that it's just totally out of place, totally out of context. They could've come up with some great alt-costumes for her, but they'd rather pander to the immature/adolescent crowd instead...

They could've made her a 'kickdonkey role model icon' for young girls...but they instead chose to make her a cheesecake object to be leered at by 11-13 year old boys..

The fact is that not much has changed in the depiction of women in video games since Metroid: the same tropes are in effect and arguably things have only gotten worse with the possibilities provided by more realistic graphics engines.

I'm not going to boycott Smash Bros on the Wii U any more than I boycotted Ninja Gaiden 3, but I do wish game developers would grow up already.

Misc points:It would be interesting to find out how the opinions line up when divided by male and female gamers.

The outfit is considered skimpy in terms of how much skin is shown and/or how skintight it is.

The argument that it's okay to over-sexualize Samus because other games do that to their women is not really a good reason.

The way a character dresses does affect how they are perceived and does say something about that character's personality. In this case it does make Samus seem shallower, as a bounty hunter wouldn't quite run out to battle in such attire.

Since this game is intended for all audiences, and we know that all audiences will be buying this game in bulk, it would have been better had made this outfit more conservative. It's not that a girl can't be pretty, but there are more creative ways to make a girl attractive without having to show excessive amounts of skin

I think she's dressed pretty appropriately in comparison to what a lot of women/teen/pre-teen girls are wearing these days...besides she can pull it off, I mean look at her! She's hot! (I'm gay) so its not creepy right?

I don't really see anything wrong with it either way, its pretty typical women's sports wear. Shes dressed no differently than a female MMA fighter, just with the addition of her jet boots.

Considering shes entering whats essentially a fighting competition the outfit is rather appropriate, and certainly no more outlandish than little Little Mac wearing nothing more than boxing shorts, a tank-top, and boxing gloves. Then theres the Wii fit trainer, whos dressed roughly the same way.

Saying that she should be or needs to wear her power suit also implies she isn't capable enough without it, which is the entire point of 'zero suit' Samus.

@AlexOlney Samus has never been out for herself. She is a bounty hunter, yes, but she also works closely with the Galactic Federation. In Other M, she was not in command of the mission so had to follow the rules. In other games that the Federation appears in, she was in command. For example in Metroid 2, they hired her to exterminate the Metroids. After that, she took the baby Metroid to a Federation science station. She was also hired to escort the soldiers in Fusion, when she got attacked. Just because we haven't had dialogue before doesn't mean that she is a silent hunter. She is strong, she is skilled but in Other M she is suffering an existential crisis after her "enemy" gave it's life to save her.

dejavu right this article or is it just me? but seriously omfg she is fine(yes pun intended too ;D) so get over it people who are offended this is why they call nintendo "childish, imature etc" cuz we make a big deal of things like this what we should be saying is " this game is looking more mature and since it is... nintendo shouldnt be seen as childish anymore"

anyway have you seen the rosalina drawing on miiverse lately with her mario kart suit? bigger you know and showing her back etc and getting tons of "yeahs" for it! ppl are hypocritical -_- even i was asked to draw rosalina in a sexy way O.o

@allav866 I think it's also a case of why Nintendo would put their characters in such costumes. If Little Mac was shirtless, he could just be a boxer, for most boxers don't wear shirts during matches even in Punch Out. However, Samus is an outer space bounty hunter and has very little reason to be in shorts and a sports bra. It's a matter of perception really

@Bolt_Strike No, read the question again: Sexualized excessively. Most people in this poll disagree that she has been sexualized excessively.

Definition of excessive - more than or beyond what is acceptable

If you don't think its a significant issue, then it is "beyond acceptable." Furthermore, it was a major feature of this article that it's a big deal that Samus has been excessively sexualized culminating in this alternate costume and the vast majority of poll voters disagreed. (The article made this claim notwithstanding the fact that this alternate costume originally appeared over a decade ago in the Metroid series.)

In other words, nearly 80% of the people who took this poll disagree with the very thesis of this article: that Samus has been excessively sexualized. Not even close to 50%-50%.

@mamp Exactly! If a person finds this too sexual they A) need to get out more, go to gym, go to park and meet some actual women who aren't video game characters and B) Check themselves and their attitudes before they judge other people. I honestly think it is a case of gamers generally not getting out enough. I mean, I love games but that doesn't keep me out of the gym, park, socializing with friends, meeting and going out with women. Of course, being one of those overly sensitive SJW types is kinda in now so this kind of over-reaction is to be expected.

I can't believe that such a lame 1 sided talking point has amassed so many comments.I see women with far more revealing outfits every single day whether it be down the beach,walking their dog,doing exercise,standing in 7/11,basically just being women.Leave such petty issues... go out and enjoy life!Please, let's not go that route with this discussion — TBD

NintendoLife should filter the comments so only females are permitted to comment on these kind of topics. Perhaps we would get a better understanding and whether this really is offensive or not. This type of article has now been done to death on every games website.

@yuwarite I think it's pretty disgusting to say people's opinions don't count because of their sex.

@OorWullie can we all stop with this go to the beach/gym stuff that's actually not what the article is about.

@CarsonPistol I don't see where you're getting that thesis from. The first time the word even appears in the article is in the poll question. Furthermore you're trying to draw too strict of a conclusion from the poll results. There's two parts to that which are left up to interpretation by the respondent. The way you're reading it is "no the sexualization is not excessive." But it could also be read as "yes she's being excessively sexualized but I don't think that's a problem." To me the second interpretation seems to be the more straight forward interpretation of the answer. This is especially true since option 4 is "no I don't think she's been overly sexualized." If your interpretation of option 2 was correct then option 4 is completely redundant. The poll is showing a roughly 50/50 split.

It's funny that people keep saying, "this isn't bad, go out in the real world." That misses the point completely. The point is that it is woman characters that are constantly shown in skimpy outfits, while men are completely clothed. If you can't see that this is done to titillate male gamers, then you don't understand the issue at all.

And please don't start with the men being muscled argument. Big muscles is part of the male empowerment fantasy and not about sexualization. Put Mario in a speedo with an engorged crotch and see how the male gamers respond.

Samus is one of my favourite video game protagonists precisely because she's an empowered woman. Her games are wonderfully claustrophobic. And she reminds me of Clint Eastwood's man-with-no-name in the Spaghetti Western trilogy.Cheaply tarting her up just diminishes her brand. I say this as a male gamer. Whoever thinks Samus should be in skimpy suits with high heels and big knockers, has no understanding of what makes Samus great. (Anyway we've got Bayonetta for that.)

This kind of stuff doesn't bother me anymore. People do it to themselves all the time now-a-days (low-cut shirts, "underwear" shorts, half+ the people at the beach), and often without style and decency. Nintendo did it with style and decency.

@Yorumi The thesis of this article is obvious not only from its title, tone, and poll question, but from specific comments like these:

"Nintendo seems to be content to take perhaps its most iconic female character and continually present her in a sexualised fashion."

"This aspect of the series [sexualised/disrobed Samus] that had usually been reserved for the very end of each game has now become an integral part of Samus’ public image."

"She’s arguably more sexualised than she’s ever been before, with stiletto heels, heavy makeup, and a notably enlarged bosom."

"The company doesn't seem to be interested in Metroid without the sexualised Zero Suit Samus."

And the article concludes this way:

"It's a shame [Samus is] depicted with a Barbie-like figure in eye shadow and bikinis" followed by hoping that Retro Studios will reinvent the character in a less sexualized manner.

Why is it a shame? Because the thesis of the article is that this depiction is excessive. The author is saying that Non-Power-Suit Samus going from being primarily used in endings to increasingly being used in other stages of the games (Game Over screens, Smash Bros appearance, etc.) is excessive. Criticizing her design as "pandering" and having "ridiculous", "unrealistic" proportions means arguing that her design is literally excessive, in that it exceeds normal proportions.

Again, the definition of excessive is "beyond what is acceptable." Clearly the article thinks its unacceptable that Samus is depicted this way. Otherwise why would it be a "shame" and why would there be a need for "hope"? The author thinks what he sees as excessive sexualization is significant and a negative development for the character and for Nintendo; this is the thesis of the article.

Therefore, by this poll, the vast majority of people who voted disagree with that thesis. Not even close to 50-50.

I don't understand why women wear stiletto heels. They're scientifically proven to be bad for your feet and your back, they're painful, and you set yourself up for serious foot injury the higher the heels get if you step wrong. And yet, women decide to wear these things — despite all the warnings — every single day. My ex did, and I tried talking her out of it, because I see them as torture devices.

So tell me, then: why are stiletto heels such an issue, when women wear them, buy them, and enjoy them? We all know /why/ women wear them: it is to look good. It makes you taller, it makes your butt more perky, and if used by someone who have trained to walk with them, it can look elegant (although it often does not...) Are we trying to say that women using stiletto heels are demeaning themselves? That you cannot want to look good and also be independent and strong? Seriously? That's sexism on the same level as saying men with muscles are stupid.

@Galenmereth the problem with the heels is that no one would ever wear them in a combat situation. Notice how no athlete in competition wears heels. It would be one thing if she was shown at a restruant or a party wearing heels but not in combat, and certainly not rocket heels. If she's going to have rocket boots then they need to be more of a combat or hiking shoe that provides proper stability and support.

People's senses have become somewhat numb to it since so many video game and super hero women are seen in heels but it is absolutely impractical footwear. It's a little different for someone like Peach or even Zelda because they're not combat characters and they're just being thrown into this mash up game. However, for Samus it's completely out of character. The one and only reason for making the shoes heels was for the sex appeal and nothing else. The said "it doesn't matter if it's in character we want sex appeal"

I voted the last option, because I feel the reaction to Samus's shorts in SSB4, and ultimately Fusion and Zero Mission, is completely ridiculous. If it weren't so counter productive, I'd recommend them take Samus to a new extreme that leaves these people behind. Like I've said before, I kind of want to see a completely new model for Samus's attire that makes these people violently cringe. The sooner these people that keep bringing absurd criticisms to her character leave the better.

Okay even though I planned to just ignore this article as I knew what the results were going to be I read it anyway.I have to say the way you've looked at the topic is borderline one sided though in my opinion Samus has always been sexualised the sexualisation of the character in the context of the series as a whole is rather light and small part. Sakurai has for awhile now pandered to the more eager side of the Smash fanbase but seeing as Smash is technically not even cannon this shouldn't really effect the integrity of the main series where for the best part it is a none issue.

I disagree with this post. Even looking at the older images, putting a character in a bathing suit (just that fact alone) isn't a sexualizing thing to me. Even her Zero Suit doesn't bother me. I am a little bothered by the great rendering detail on her breasts, but that's as far as the offense goes in my opinion. I don't see how a sports top and shorts is sexualization. Real women wear that. Real fighting women wear that.

And I think it was a stretch to say "stilettos". Considering the proportion of the heel to her body, that aren't that high. This woman walks around in bulky armor all the top, I am sure she can manage those heels. And I can't see heels as a form of sexualization. Again, real women wear heels. Most do it for themselves because it makes us feel beautiful, and what's wrong with that? Also, the heavy make-up was definitely a stretch. I examined every one of her images for the game and if she was a human, I'd say she was hardly wearing any make-up.

Yes this is a fighting game, but she can look beautiful while fighting. As a woman, I don't see the problem with her alternate outfit and I personally like it better than the zero suit.

Now if this bikini thing is real, I might get offended, but I would have to see it first.

Um...simply put, I don't care about Samus' dress. She can kick a** without the Varia Suit, that's what I think when I see Zero Suit or these costumes. Not her being over sexualized. Honestly, I just think people are trying to find thing to be upset about these days, like, does it change the fact that she's a boss a** galactic bounty hunter? No, because she would destroy you with what she has on, whether it be the alternate costume, Zero Suit, or Varia Suit.

The amount of modesty in your average female these days is as low as it has ever been. Yet we complain about the sexualisation of a fictional video game character. One that has still been treated fairly modestly compared to what you see at the average night club or beach. I think we have a bigger issue...

Not saying there are not modest women these days, but oversexualisation of the female gender as whole has been reaching new heights every year in just about every medium out there. (Especially TV and music.) SJWs need to find real issues to worry about. Like covering up those women that I was talking about.

Y r we talking about Samus in shorts??? What I don't understand is how come we're not talking about the pornographically naked Yoshi he has shoes but NOTHING ELSE well maybe a SADDLE dang I'm traumatized :/

I really wish we could show some maturity and stop stereotyping people just to shut down discussion. We make up these stupid terms like SJWs and then any time something is discussed we just say "oh your one of those people, everything you say in invalid."

Is it incomprehensible to people today are capable of holding an opinion without being automatically stereotyped and labeled as part of a group and responsible for every single last action that group ever did?

To me the overreaction is all the people who see an article like this and start screaming about SJW and stuff.

@Yorumi Sorry if I came off as trying to ignore the debate at hand by calling out SJWs. I did make a statement though, my opinion on the matter, and my feelings about the so called SJWs are indeed my own. I honestly think women as a whole have been oversexualised, but people only seem to to. get upset when a fictional character becomes too sexualized.

Friendly reminder that jimmies are being rustled over how a person who doesn't even exist in our world looks in a video game designed by people who aren't bothered by such a topic when far more unrealistic things exist and happen in it. ZSS is far more realistic in design than a good majority of characters from Street Fighter, Soul Caliber, King of Fighters, Blazblue etc.

@DragonbornRito I don't think that's true. I think we just filter the world through our interests. We're on a video game site so we're only of course getting video game news. You do actually see people complaining about women on tv, in movies, and the kinds of clothing certain stores are selling and such. Heck how long have they been going on against Barbie.

So I don't think it's that they're ignoring other issues, it's the other way around, we just don't see the people who do this all the time when it comes to other areas outside our own interest.

@Yorumi Nobody would bring a plasma whip to a fighting ring, either. Nobody would sling fireballs at each other. And a boxer doesn't turn into the Hulk when he takes a certain amount of damage. THIS IS A GAME.

@Yorumi Be that as it may, they shouldn't treat Samus like she's the only one being "sexualized". If anything, real fans of the Metroid franchise know just how superhuman she is and how off-putting she can be lugging that heavy armor around all the time and constantly blasting away space pirates and aliens that by "sexualizing" Samus makes her more human and relatable. That said, the Smash games have always been about bringing Nintendo's mascots to a level playing field where they can Brawl in fair Melee contests which potentially means making the most remarkable of their characters unremarkable.

@Galenmereth you're trying to argue that samus has absolutely no character at all. The universe they've set up around her is completely meaningless. It's an asinine argument just to dodge admitting that the only reason the heels exist is because of the sexualizing nature of them.

@kensredemption well it's not like samus in her full suit doesn't exist. I don't think it makes her more relatable though, certainly not with something like the heels that are so completely out of character, impractical, and just something she's never wear in combat. It just kind of makes her come off as a cheap floozy. To me though I think it kind of proves the point though of what a low view of women exists when we say the way to make a woman relatable is to sexualize her.

@Yorumi Holy crap, you didn't hear a word I said, did you? Quit trying to play devil's advocate. You can't do it. All you're doing is trying to debate the whole issue with variables inconsistent with your argument in the first place.

@kensredemption I'm not trying to play devil's advocate at all, I don't like the low view of women people have. I said what I feel about this issue in my first post, I don't like it but I'm not losing any sleep over it. This rates as fairly minor, it just happens to be the topic being discussed and I enjoy discussions.

Well I have to say that this doesn't make me feel entirely excluded from gaming like some of the stuff that's out there.

However, I wonder about all the "it's just workout gear" comments. There was this one girl who dressed like Samus' new costume at my gym (it's a university gym, so maybe that's why) and she was very politely told that the gym has a dress code and to come back with workout clothes.

Where have you seen all those girls that go and work out in really high heels irl?

And if you look at brawl, you clearly see that she is more sexualise in this entry. Not only the more skimpier alt, but also the zero suit version. She has bigger boobs, high heels and seems to have a smaller waist.

So why does Samus look like this in this game? The answer is simple, she is being designed as a sex object for the male audience. There is no in-game reason to have idiotic gear like this, it is all about pandering to a certain type of male gamer. (which is also idiotic from a financial stand point)

All you who say it doesn't matter, does this mean that you wouldn't care if they removed this from the game? And made the Zero version more anatomically correct and clad in more fighting appropriate garb?

You are right when you say that "If a guy is shirtless, he's not exposing anything explicit", but they are also..... sometimes... in "underwear" (Ex: Randy Orton or the Rock). You can practically see the shape of their genitals.

It seems that if a guy shows how strong or "hot" he is by showing his muscles, nobody says it's sexualisation of a man, but if a woman shows how fit she is, everybody panics and stuff

@Therad the complaint was that there are no week known male characters in a Speedo with a bulging crotch. Zangeif was the first example that came to mind. Also, if idealized men in form fitting clothes are also designed to appeal to male sexuality, then what exactly would be something designed for females? I honestly want to know. I'm not a woman so I don't know what their ideal would be.

As for the original subject of discussion: I don't think the problem is Samus's outfit, or body shape as such. If it were another woman, in another game, with another backstory, then big boobs and high heels could be quite ok.

The problem is that Samus is supposed to be a kick-as athletic warrior, so presumably she works out. And I don't mind her clothes, as such, they're ok for a workout... But although there are plenty of big-chested women in the world, I challenge you to show me a female athlete or bodybuilder with big boobs. Because boobs are fat. If you work out, they shrink. Also, please try to go out and fight someone in high heels. Please.

I also think that this is a less adressed angle on the whole "but the men are sexy too!!!!"-issue. Yes, the men are sexy, although on the whole they do get more functional cloths and armor than the women do (fun fact: boob armor will kill you). But if, as a man, you work out a lot (= like bodybuilder a lot), then your body will end up as something at least vaguely resembling Zangief. But if a woman works out a lot, then her body will ALSO end up looking a little like Zangief. Not like Linda Lovelace.

I wish games in general would get better at showcasing all kinds of bodies, male and female. And I don't mind unrealistically shaped characters, if it is consistent with the game and backstory of the character. The problem for me is the ridiculous lengths to which gaming companies and internet commentators will go to defend design decisions which are becoming more and more out of sync with the games themselves, and which are only motivated by "what the focus groups and target audience wants".

Especially when it seems to be assumed that boobs, ass and heels are the ONLY thing target audiences want (without actually checking with the audience in question, or questioning the choice of target audience).

If "lets add more boobs to sell games" isn't the definitions of sexism and objectification of women, it should be.

(also, male characters also being objectified does not make female objectification ok, they are BOTH wrong, and part of the SAME problem)

All I'm hearing is..'blah blah blah gender roles blah blah objectification of women blah blah sexualized blah blah patriarchy blah blah oppression blah blah disrespectful.'It's really just the SOS. It's just a different pile of it.Again I say, as a man that lives in Canada that watches as his streets are overrun with women (aged 14-30, aka, the predominant GAMING audience) wearing Lululemon and other types of skin tight yoga pants, WOMEN ARE SEXUAL. But if you were wearing a hundred pound space suit, you wouldn't be wearing a t-shirt and jeans under either. Men make huge.. no, MASSIVE issues out of the sexuality of a woman's dress attire when really, we're just blah blahing away our own personal preference and opinion.You ever see a woman breastfeeding in public?I've got an 11 month old son, I see it all the time. Our friends breastfeed their children. Is it a sexual thing? No, it's not.Is the female body a sexual thing? It can be, yes. Is a fat Samus realistic? No. Is a trim, athletic Samus unrealistic? No. The proportions are off, but I know thin women with large breasts. Are Samus' proportions exaggerated? Of course, but it's a video game, not an interactive movie.The new Tomb Raider? Interactive movie with a realistic Lara Croft, attempting to distance herself from a dozen titles where her breasts were enormous. It wasn't even a gradual change. And Lara STILL has a larger than average bust. In addition, that game features overtly sexual content, content that has never been present in Metroid.This is the Dragon's Crown bs all over again. It's never about sexual actions or behaviour with Nintendo fans or even the company themselves. It's about appearances.It's embarrassing to know that Japan can be so closedminded in somethings and yet light years ahead of western culture in sexuality and body image.We're an insecure bunch of neanderthals that judge people by a glance, DESTROY our homeless, and hide in our homes in rags so we don't see a nipple or hear words like 'penis', 'vagina' or 'intercourse'.For a society that revels in the pornographic industry, turning it into a billion dollar business, we sure do spend alot of times shaming ourselves and others.Samus. Is not. A Real Living Person.She's property of Nintendo. IT is property of Nintendo. Like Bravely Default, she be dressed however the designers want to dress her.Just because OUR society flaunts half naked women everywhere (real and celebrity) means our media can't and shouldn't reflect that.Ironic, coming from a European website, and it's multitude of European readers. Ironic, but so very much a United Kingdom point of view. The LEAST European country, trying to stand for it's own country is laughable. Spain, Portugal, Amsterdam, Paris, Belgium, Greece, Milan and so many others have great history AND an eye on the future. The UK is being left behind. In EVERYTHING.Now, now I finally see why. This 'issue' is a glimpse into the entire country's mindset. Sex isn't something to be hushed, it's something to be celebrated, to be enjoyed. It's how each and everyone of us got here, so why does everyone cower behind their political correctness like Nintendo gamers, gamers in general, people as a whole aren't sexual beings.It is the only thing in our incredibly short and often wasted lives that seperates us from the beasts: our desire for physical, sexual intimacy.Hate it all you want, lie and say you've never felt that way. But don't take your prejudices out on some insignificant speck like a video game.Have some tact and do so in a venue that makes sense.

Is Samus sexualized? Yes. Is Samus oversexualized? Nope.Nobody complains that you can see a bikini Samus at the end of the first Metroid game. I personally am fine with the alternate costume, and even if I wasn't, it's not like it'll be required to play as her like this (I never play as her anyways), so let's all calm our butts down and realize it's not the end of the world because of a frickin' alternate costume.

Good lord.. Said better than I could ever attempted to say it. Well done.

Nintendo hasn't released a decent Metroid game in about 7 years. To blunt, there isn't much else about Samus to focus on beyond her status as an incredibly attractive woman in armor. Nintendo beats this nail into the ground because they HAVE to. Had Samus been male, gamers would not have cared anymore about her than they do Master Chief. Once (or if) a new Metroid game comes out, I have a feeling all of this talk of "sexism" will go away. Samus is more or less irrelevant until then, and Nintendo is actually quite brilliant for finding a way to get her into the spotlight via the rocket boots.

And before any of you complain about the Bailey Suit in Smash... It was available on the GBA long ago via Zero Mission, so direct all complaints to that game. Smash is just representing the games.

@Falchion But in that case wouldnt it make sense for her to wear the zero suit. or the sport suit? Note: She wears it UNDER the power/varia suit so thats why its so skin tight. I mean, wouldnt it be hard to wear heavy armor under a suit of...... Heavy armor? The zero suit then allows her to maneuver and run better until she can get back to the power suit. But this is an old topic so yeah. Have a nice day~

What's wrong with being sexy and physically attractive? Have we become so sensitive as a society that we automatically bash and hate on an attractive but strong female character? Sometimes I think people hold meetings to decide what they're going to find offensive this month.

And the sad part is Samus doesn't even care. She's in her ship right now wearing high heels and a bunny hood while watching Lifetime and eating chocolates. She's a woman you know, let her be one. Stop trying to turn her into a genderless blob in a suit!